GeodynamicWorldBuilder · Tartaspecio · Mar 29, 2026 · Mar 29, 2026 · Mar 29, 2026 · Mar 29, 2026
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ This project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.htm
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 ### Added
+- Added a new cookbook to reproduce the Big Mantle Wedge setting beneath Europe 
+\[Enrico Marzotto; 2026-03-31; [#911](https://github.com/GeodynamicWorldBuilder/WorldBuilder/pull/911)\]
 - Added an option to read initial textures on grains from a ASCII file with has the format of a particle_cpo CPO.dat output from ASPECT. \[Yijun Wang; 2026-03-29; [#918](https://github.com/GeodynamicWorldBuilder/WorldBuilder/pull/918)\]
 
 - Added Perlin noise models for composition and temperature across features, and gwb-dat coverage tests for Cartesian Perlin noise inputs. \[Tilman May; 2026-03-29; [#906](https://github.com/GeodynamicWorldBuilder/WorldBuilder/pull/906)\]

diff --git a/cookbooks/3d_cartesian_big_mantle_wedge_Europe/3d_cartesian_big_mantle_wedge_Europe.grid b/cookbooks/3d_cartesian_big_mantle_wedge_Europe/3d_cartesian_big_mantle_wedge_Europe.grid
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# output variables
+grid_type = cartesian       # cartesian box (x,y,z)
+dim = 3                     # 3 dimensions (x,y,z)
+compositions = 6            # 2 different phases (e.g., oceanic lithosphere, basaltic crust ...)
+
+# domain of the grid
+x_min = 0                   # minimum length
+x_max = 4000e3 		        # maximum length
+y_min = 0e3 			    # minimum width
+y_max = 3000e3 		        # maximum length
+z_min = 0 				    # minimum depth
+z_max = 660e3 			    # maximum depth
+
+# low res grid properties
+n_cell_x = 160              # number of cells in the x-direction
+n_cell_y = 120			    # number of cells in the y-direction
+n_cell_z = 40 			    # number of cells in the z-direction
diff --git a/cookbooks/3d_cartesian_big_mantle_wedge_Europe/3d_cartesian_big_mantle_wedge_Europe.wb b/cookbooks/3d_cartesian_big_mantle_wedge_Europe/3d_cartesian_big_mantle_wedge_Europe.wb
diff --git a/cookbooks/3d_cartesian_big_mantle_wedge_Europe/doc/README.md b/cookbooks/3d_cartesian_big_mantle_wedge_Europe/doc/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+(part:user_manual:chap:cookbooks:sec:3d_cartesian_big_mantle_wedge_Europe)=
+Big Mantle Wedge in Europe
+======================
+
+Intra-continental volcanoes differ significantly from their oceanic counterparts (e.g., Hawaii and Iceland) because: (1) their eruptions are sporadic (every few thousand years), (2) they do not display the classic age progression associated with a hot spot, and (3) their eruption products are more alkaline and silica-undersaturated compared to oceanic island basalts. Moreover, seismic tomography beneath these regions reveals that the low-velocity anomalies commonly associated with warm mantle plumes are interrupted in the mantle transition zone (MTZ) by high-velocity anomalies {cite:p}`Zhao_etal_2004`. These anomalies have been interpreted as a cold, stagnant slab in the MTZ.
+
+In the Big Mantle Wedge (BMW) hypothesis {cite:p}`Zhao_etal_2009`, intra-continental volcanism is either induced by the bulldozing action of a subducting slab pushing hydrous material out of the MTZ {cite:p}`Yang_&_Faccenda_2020`, or by the dehydration of the slab itself once it stagnates in the MTZ and warms up {cite:p}`Xing_etal_2024`. 
+
+In the Mediterranean region there are several volcanic provinces which are not related to either converging or diverging margin, and are collectively referred to as the Circum-Mediterranean Anorogenic Cenozoic Igneous Province (CiMACI) {cite:p}`Lustrino_&_Wilson_2007`. Within the CiMACI, there are four volcanic provinces located north of the Alps: (1) Massif Central (France), (2) Eifel (Germany), (3) Eger Rift (Czech Republic), and (4) the Pannonian Basin (Hungary). These four regions together constitute the European Cenozoic Rift system (ECRiS) {cite:p}`Ziegler_1992`. 
+
+Seismic tomography of Europe reveals slow-velocity anomalies in the upper mantle beneath the volcanic provinces of the ECRiS and fast-velocity anomalies in the underlying MTZ {cite:p}`Piromallo_&_Faccenna_2004`, which have been interpreted as different generations of Mediterranean slabs now stagnating on top of the 660 km discontinuity {cite:p}`Piromallo_&_Faccenna_2004`. Potentially, the four volcanic regions of the ECRiS are fed by a common mantle reservoir {cite:p}`Granet_etal_1995`, represented by the recycling (i.e., flux melting) of subducted oceanic crust (meta-sediments and meta-basalts) {cite:p}`Yaxley_etal_2022`, induced by the dehydration of the inner portions of slab {cite:p}`Xing_etal_2024`. This process may lead to the formation of secondary mantle plumes driven by the chemical buoyancy of low-density, water-rich melt {cite:p}`Sakamaki_&_Ohtani_2022` that ascends toward the surface and may be responsible for the slow-velocity anomaly observed in the upper mantle beneath ECRiS.
+
+The Big Mantle Wedge hypothesis was originally proposed to explain the intra-continental volcanism in the Changbaishan volcanic province (NE China), located more than 1000 km away from the Japan Trench {cite:p}`Zhao_etal_2004`, and may also explain the intra-continental volcanism of the ECRiS.
+
+This cookbook can be used to set up the initial conditions of a regional-scale mantle convection model to investigate the Big Mantle Wedge hypothesis or to visualize its geometry in 3D.
+
+The region is 4000 x 3000 x 660 km Cartesian box (x,y,z) representing continental Europe and the underlying upper mantle and transition zone (Figure 1-3). In total there are 15 features, divided as:
+
+1. Mantle Layer: uniform composition [0]; no distinction between upper mantle and MTZ
+
+2. Oceanic Plate: relatively thin lithosphere (100 km), uniform composition [1]; it represents the ocean and seas surrounding Europe
+
+3. Continental Plates 
+
+    3a. Continental Europe: relatively thick lithosphere (200 km), uniform composition [2]
+
+    3b. Alps: mountain chain, thick lithosphere (250 km), uniform composition [3]
+
+    3c. Appennines: mountain chain, thick lithosphere (250 km), uniform composition [3]
+
+    3d. Pyrenees: mountain chain, thick lithosphere (250 km), uniform composition [3]
+
+    3e. Massif Central: ECRiS volcanic province; thinned continental lithosphere (100 km), uniform composition [4]
+
+    3f. Eifel: ECRiS volcanic province; thinned continental lithosphere (100 km), uniform composition [4]
+
+    3g. Bohemian Massif: ECRiS volcanic province; thinned continental lithosphere (100 km), uniform composition [4]
+
+    3h. Pannonian Basin: ECRiS volcanic province; thinned continental lithosphere (100 km), uniform composition [4]
+
+4. Subducting Slab (Alpine): defined by 5 segments to represent the steep descent toward the MTZ and the horizontal flattening of the slab 
+                            along the 660 km discontinuity. The final segment stretches north-ward to reach the four ECRiS regions. Uniform composition [4]. The coordinates of the linear feature are taken in the middle of the Alps polygon.
+
+5. Mantle Plumes: the [x,y] coordinates of the four plumes are defined by the centroids of the polygons created to represent the ECRiS 
+                 regions. Uniform composition [5]. The maximum depth of each plume has been limited to < 600 km to represent the secondary plumes generated in the MTZ by slab dehydration.
+
+    5a. Massif Central Plume
+
+    5b. Eifel Plume
+
+    5c. Boehmian Massif Plume
+
+    5d. Pannonian Plume
+
+:::{figure}  big_mantle_wedge_Europe_surface_view.png
+:name:  big_mantle_wedge_Europe_surface_view
+:alt: European continental plate including the Alps, Appennines, Pyrenees and the ECRiS regions. 
+:align: center
+
+Figure (1): different colours represent different features: oceanic plate (dark blue), continental plate (dark green), mountain ranges (light green), intra-continental volcanic provinces (orange)
+:::
+
+:::{figure}  big_mantle_wedge_Europe_mantle_view.png
+:name:  big_mantle_wedge_Europe_mantle_view
+:alt: Alpine slab subducting beneath Central Europe 
+:align: center
+
+Figure (2): different colours represent different features: oceanic plate (dark blue), continental plate (dark green), mountain ranges (light green), and subducted slab (orange)
+:::
+
+:::{figure}  big_mantle_wedge_Europe_plumes_view.png
+:name:  big_mantle_wedge_Europe_plumes_view
+:alt: Mantle plumes feeding the ECRiS intra-continental volcanic regions 
+:align: center
+
+Figure (3): different colours represent different features: oceanic plate (dark blue), continental plate (dark green), mountain ranges (light green), subducted slab (orange), intra-continental volcanic provinces and ascending plumes (red)
+:::
+
+
diff --git a/...d_cartesian_big_mantle_wedge_Europe/doc/big_mantle_wedge_Europe_mantle_view.png b/...d_cartesian_big_mantle_wedge_Europe/doc/big_mantle_wedge_Europe_mantle_view.png
diff --git a/...d_cartesian_big_mantle_wedge_Europe/doc/big_mantle_wedge_Europe_plumes_view.png b/...d_cartesian_big_mantle_wedge_Europe/doc/big_mantle_wedge_Europe_plumes_view.png
diff --git a/..._cartesian_big_mantle_wedge_Europe/doc/big_mantle_wedge_Europe_surface_view.png b/..._cartesian_big_mantle_wedge_Europe/doc/big_mantle_wedge_Europe_surface_view.png
diff --git a/cookbooks/index.md b/cookbooks/index.md
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ This section contains self-contained cookbooks on how to design different geodyn
 ```{toctree}
 :hidden:
 
+3d_cartesian_big_mantle_wedge_Europe/doc/README
 3d_cartesian_rift/doc/README
 3d_cartesian_transform_fault/doc/README
 simple_subduction_2d_cartesian/doc/README

diff --git a/doc/sphinx/bibliography.bib b/doc/sphinx/bibliography.bib
@@ -179,4 +179,91 @@ @article{Tian2019
   doi       = {10.1029/2019GC008488}
 }
 
+@article{Zhao_etal_2004,
+  author    = {Zhao, Dapeng and Jianshe, Lei and Rongyu, Tang},
+  title     = {Origin of the Changbai intraplate volcanism in Northeast China: Evidence from seismic tomography},
+  journal   = {Chinese Science Bulletin},
+  year      = {2004},
+  doi       = {https://doi.org/10.1360/04wd0125}
+}
+
+@article{Zhao_etal_2009,
+  author    = {Zhao, Dapeng and You Tian and Jianshe Lei and Lucy Liu and Sihua Zheng},
+  title     = {Seismic image and origin of the Changbai intraplate volcano in East Asia: Role of big mantle wedge above the stagnant Pacific slab},
+  journal   = {Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors},
+  year      = {2009},
+  doi       = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pepi.2008.11.009}
+}
+
+@article{Yang_&_Faccenda_2020,
+  author    = {Jianfeng, Yang and Manuele, Faccenda},
+  title     = {Intraplate volcanism originating from upwelling hydrous mantle transition zone},
+  journal   = {Nature},
+  year      = {2020},
+  doi       = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2045-y}
+}
+
+@article{Xing_etal_2024,
+  author    = {Kai-Chen, Xing and Feng, Wang and Fang-Zhen, Teng and Wen-Liang, Xu and Yi-Ni, Wang and De-Bin, Yang and Hong-Lin, Li and Yan-Chao, Wang},
+  title     = {Potassium isotopic evidence for recycling of surface water into the mantle transition zone},
+  journal   = {Nature Geoscience},
+  year      = {2024},
+  doi       = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-024-01452-y}
+  }
+
+@article{Lustrino_&_Wilson_2007,
+  author    = {Michele, Lustrino and Marjorie, Wilson},
+  title     = {The circum-Mediterranean anorogenic Cenozoic igneous province},
+  journal   = {Earth-Science Reviews},
+  year      = {2007},
+  doi       = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2006.09.002}
+  }
+
+  @article{Ziegler_1992,
+  author    = {Peter A. Ziegler},
+  title     = {European Cenozoic rift system},
+  journal   = {Tectonophysics},
+  year      = {1992},
+  doi       = {https://doi.org/10.1016/0040-1951(92)90338-7}
+  }
+
+  @article{Piromallo_&_Faccenna_2004,
+  author    = {Claudia, Piromallo and Claudio, Faccenna},
+  title     = {How deep can we find the traces of Alpine subduction?},
+  journal   = {Geophysical Research Letters},
+  year      = {2004},
+  doi       = {https://doi.org/10.1029/2003GL019288}
+  }
+
+  @article{Granet_etal_1995,
+  author    = {Michel, Granet and Marjorie, Wilson and Ulrich, Achauer},
+  title     = {Imaging a mantle plume beneath the French Massif Central},
+  journal   = {Earth and Planetary Science Letters},
+  year      = {1995},
+  doi       = {https://doi.org/10.1016/0012-821X(95)00174-B}
+  }
+
+ @article{Yaxley_etal_2022,
+  author    = {Gregory, Yaxley and Michael, Anenburg and Sebastian, Tappe and Sophie, Decree and Tibor, Guzmics},
+  title     = {Carbonatites: Classification, Sources, Evolution, and Emplacement},
+  journal   = {Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences},
+  year      = {2022},
+  doi       = {https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-earth-032320-104243}
+  }
+
+  @article{Cloetingh_etal_2022,
+  author    = {Sierd, Cloetingh and Alexander, Koptev and Alessio, Lavecchia and István, János Kovács and Fred, Beekman},
+  title     = {Fingerprinting secondary mantle plumes},
+  journal   = {Earth and Planetary Science Letters},
+  year      = {2022},
+  doi       = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2022.117819}
+  }
+
+  @article{Sakamaki_&_Ohtani_2022,
+  author    = {Tatsuya, Sakamaki and Eiji, Ohtani},
+  title     = {High Pressure Melts},
+  journal   = {Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry},
+  year      = {2022},
+  doi       = {https://doi.org/10.2138/rmg.2022.87.11}
+  }