<p>Testing and model inter-comparison have been an important part of glacier models developments. One of the main numerical modelling suites used by the glaciology community is <a href="http://elmerice.elmerfem.org/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Elmer Ice</a>, a full-Stokes, finite element, ice sheet/ice flow model. As part of the effort to test models the community around Elmer Ice developed <strong>ISMIP-HOM</strong> (Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project-Higher-Order ice-sheet Model). ISMIP-HOM consists of five diagnostic and one prognostic experiments, for both 2-D and 3-D geometries. For all the tests, the full-Stokes equations are solved. One of the experiments has an analytical solution obtained from perturbation analysis.</p>

<p>The details of each experiment, including input data can be found at the ISMIP-HOM project page maintained by Frank Pattyn at: <a href="http://homepages.ulb.ac.be/~fpattyn/ismip/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://homepages.ulb.ac.be/~fpattyn/ismip/</a></p>

<p>Some papers that I would recommend looking at to find out more details about the experiments are:</p>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.the-cryosphere.net/2/95/2008/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Benchmark experiments for higher-order and full-Stokes ice sheet models (ISMIP–HOM)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.the-cryosphere.net/2/67/2008/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The ISMIP-HOM benchmark experiments performed using the Finite-Element code Elmer</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.the-cryosphere.net/6/573/2012/tc-6-573-2012.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Results of the Marine Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project, MISMIP</a></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-02T20:59:47.347Z
2018-04-02T20:59:47.347Z
Camilo Rada
<p>I'm programming the nonlinear Stokes problem (with a finite element method),</p>

<p>$$\operatorname{div}(\mu(u)\nabla u+pI)=f$$</p>

<p>where $\mu(u)$ is the Glen's power flow law (typical for glaciers). I want to test the model with <strong>simple</strong> and <strong>realistic</strong> data. Do you know where can I find simple tests and realistic examples (e.g. a mesh of a glacier and the physical constants)?</p>

<glaciology><numerical-modelling><glacier>
Simple and realistic data for glacier modeling
yemino
# Simple and realistic data for glacier modeling

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-04-02)

I'm programming the nonlinear Stokes problem (with a finite element method),

$$\operatorname{div}(\mu(u)\nabla u+pI)=f$$

where $\mu(u)$ is the Glen's power flow law (typical for glaciers). I want to test the model with **simple** and **realistic** data. Do you know where can I find simple tests and realistic examples (e.g. a mesh of a glacier and the physical constants)?

**Tags:** glaciology, numerical-modelling, glacier


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2018-04-02. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

Testing and model inter-comparison have been an important part of glacier models developments. One of the main numerical modelling suites used by the glaciology community is [Elmer Ice](http://elmerice.elmerfem.org/), a full-Stokes, finite element, ice sheet/ice flow model. As part of the effort to test models the community around Elmer Ice developed **ISMIP-HOM** (Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project-Higher-Order ice-sheet Model). ISMIP-HOM consists of five diagnostic and one prognostic experiments, for both 2-D and 3-D geometries. For all the tests, the full-Stokes equations are solved. One of the experiments has an analytical solution obtained from perturbation analysis.

The details of each experiment, including input data can be found at the ISMIP-HOM project page maintained by Frank Pattyn at: <http://homepages.ulb.ac.be/~fpattyn/ismip/>

Some papers that I would recommend looking at to find out more details about the experiments are:

* [Benchmark experiments for higher-order and full-Stokes ice sheet models (ISMIP–HOM)](https://www.the-cryosphere.net/2/95/2008/)
* [The ISMIP-HOM benchmark experiments performed using the Finite-Element code Elmer](https://www.the-cryosphere.net/2/67/2008/)
* [Results of the Marine Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project, MISMIP](https://www.the-cryosphere.net/6/573/2012/tc-6-573-2012.html)


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