Thermomechanical interaction of ice shells and subsurface oceans

Abstract

Thermomechanical interaction between ice shell and subsurface ocean in the context of planetary sciences can give some information about the early evolution of certain objects in our Solar system. In particular objects that are interesting from the point of view of astrobiology.

Questions related to the existence of life and their relevance to mathematical modeling of phase change problems will be addressed in this talk. Mathematical formulation of a thermomechanical evolution of two-phase continuum in a two-dimensional domain with free surface contain implementational and computational difficulties.

Those aspects of the formulation will be discussed in the rest of the talk.