THEORY OF LATTICE BOLTZMANN SIMULATIONS OF GLACIER FLOW

A lattice Boltzmann technique for modeling Navier-Stokes fluid flow is extended to allow steady-state simulations of glaciers and other slow -flowing solids. The technique is based on a statistical mechanical re presentation of flowing ice as a set of particles (populations) which translate and collide on a face-centered cubic lattice. The average tr ajectories of the populations give the velocities of the ice at any po int in the glacier. The method has considerable advantages over other techniques, including its ability to handle complex realistic geometri es without additional complications to the code. Examples are presente d for two-dimensional simulations.