LIFFE: Lithospheric flexure with finite elements

Abstract

We present LIFFE (Lithospheric Flexure with Finite Elements), a platform designed to perform lithospheric flexure. LIFFE is an easy-to-use, flexible and open-source code intended to model the flexure of a laterally heterogeneous lithosphere affected by a complex load system. This platform can be used to further understand geodynamic and surface processes such as mountain building, volcanism, and sedimentary basin formation. LIFFE is a Matlab® set of codes that allows the possibility of considering elastic thickness (Te) variations, previous deformation (variations on the plate shape), complex load systems (applied to any surface of the plate), temperature effects and decoupled infill loads. In-plane (xz) and principle stresses, gravity anomalies and models are plotted as standard outputs for a profound interpretation of the flexure. These characteristics make LIFFE a powerful tool for better describing the behavior of the elastic outer shell of Earth under loads.