Isostasy

The isostasy module simulates crustal deflection due to sediment and water loading. This should not be confused with the subsidence module, which subsides a basin based on user-specified subsidence rates. The subsidence module is configured within the sedflux process description file as a group named isostasy. Following is an example key-value group that defines the isostasy module.

[ isostasy ]
active:                                 yes
logging:                                no
repeat interval:                        100y
effective elastic thickness (m):        65000
Youngs modulus (Pa):                    7e10
relaxation time (years):                2500

The first three parameters are general module parameters that must be specified for every group within a process file. The remaining parameters are specific to the subsidence module:

  • Effective elastic thickness: The portion of the lithosphere that behaves elastically on geological time scales .
  • Youngs modulus: Young’s Modulus of the crust and mantle lithosphere (typically around \(7x10^{10}\) \(N/m^2\))
  • Relaxation time: Time for the crust to reach \(1/e\) of its equilibrium deflection.