Title
On a Doubly Nonlinear Parabolic Obstacle Problem Modelling Ice Sheet Dynamics
Abstract
This paper deals with the weak formulation of a free ( moving) boundary problem arising in theoretical glaciology. Considering shallow ice sheet flow, we present the mathematical analysis and the numerical solution of the second order nonlinear degenerate parabolic equation modelling, in the isothermal case, the ice sheet non-Newtonian dynamics. An obstacle problem is then deduced and analyzed. The existence of a free boundary generated by the support of the solution is proved and its location and evolution are qualitatively described by using a comparison principle and an energy method. Then the solutions are numerically computed with a method of characteristics and a duality algorithm to deal with the resulting variational inequalities. The weak framework we introduce and its analysis (both qualitative and numerical) are not restricted to the simple physics of the ice sheet model we consider nor to the model dimension; they can be successfully applied to more realistic and sophisticated models related to other geophysical settings.
Year
DOI
Venue
2003
10.1137/S0036139901385345
SIAM JOURNAL ON APPLIED MATHEMATICS
Keywords
Field
DocType
ice sheet models,nonlinear degenerate equations,free boundaries,weak solutions,finite elements,duality methods
Mathematical optimization,Ice-sheet model,Mathematical analysis,Ice sheet,Finite element method,Boundary problem,Obstacle problem,Mathematics,Weak formulation,Parabola,Variational inequality
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
63
2
0036-1399
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
6
1.52
1
Authors
5
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
C. Vázquez17320.98
E. Schiavi261.52
J. Durany361.52
J. I. Díaz462.53
N. Calvo5123.24