Input file

Here we explain the input file used to control Detrital MC, where all parameters for a Detrital MC model and the locations of input data files are specified. The input file is located in the input subdirectory. Note that you can freely add comments in your copies of the Detrital MC input file by starting lines with the $ character.

Below, we desribe the different sections of the Detrital MC input file and how they work. The general format of this documentation gives information about what should be listed on each line of each section of the input file. The sections and lines are given by number, while the values on each line are given using letters. An example of two lines containing 3 and 5 values is given below.

Example format of the Detrital MC input file.
$=== [3] - Section name ========================================================
VALUE_A VALUE_B VALUE_C
VALUE_A VALUE_B VALUE_C VALUE_D VALUE_E

Please check the rest of the documentation for more detailed explanations of how other parts the software operate.

Section 1: Basin summary information

The first section of the Detrital MC input file is for specifying how many basins are being analyzed, and the names, formats, and associated parameters for the input data files. The input values are described in more detail below.

Section 1 of the Detrital MC input file (without comments)
$=== [1] - Basin summary information ===========================================
1
BH398-AFT 3 BH398_WB009-1km_Pecube_and_topometrics_250m 8 97 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1

Section 1, line 1 (1 required value)

  • Value a: Number of basins to analyze. Type: int

    The only input value here is the number of basins to analyze.

Section 1, line 2+ (4+ required values)

In section 1, the remaining line(s) are used to provide information about each of the basins that should be analyzed. You should use one line per basin.

  • Value a: Name of the observed age data file in the data/observed_ages subdirectory. Type: char

    Listing ba1 would tell Detrital MC to read measured ages from the data/observed_ages/ba1.dat file. This should be a character string.

  • Value b: Predicted age file format. Type: int

    Note

    Values c, d, … differ depending on the value selected for value 2 on this line. As a result, we list the corresponding descriptions of those values below each number below.

    If value b = 1: Comparison.txt file generated by HUGG version of Pecube. Complete this line with the following values:

    • Value c: Name of the Pecube model run output directory (e.g., RUN00) in the data subdirectory. Type: char

    • Value d: The predicted thermochronometer age system to use (1 = AHe, 2 = AFT, 3 = ZHe, 4 = ZFT, 5 = MAr). Type: int

    If value b = 2: Generic CSV file. Complete this line with the following values:

    • Value c: Name of the predicted age file in the data subdirectory (e.g., DW001 for DW001.csv). Type: char

    • Value d: The number of the column containing predicted ages in the CSV file. Type: int

    • Value e: The number of the column containing predicted erosion rates in the CSV file. Type: int

      Note

      If value e is equal to 16, 17, 18, 19, 98, or 99, additional information is required.

      If value e = 16:

      • Value f: Bedrock fertility scaling factor 1 (TSS). Type: float

      • Value g: Bedrock fertility scaling factor 2 (GHS). Type: float

      • Value h: Bedrock fertility scaling factor 3 (LHS). Type: float

      • Value i: Bedrock fertility scaling factor 4 (Siwaliks). Type: float

      • Value j: Bedrock fertility scaling factor 5 (Leucogranites). Type: float

      • Value k: Bedrock fertility scaling factor 6 (LHS-C). Type: float

      • Value l: Erosion scaling factor. Type: int

        • 0: None

        • 1: Instantaneous exhumation rates from Pecube

        • 2: Normalized channel steepness

        • 3: Specific stream power

      If value e = 17:

      • Value f: Glacier scaling factor 1 (Glacier-covered areas). Type: float

      • Value g: Glacier scaling factor 1 (Glacier-free areas). Type: float

      • Value h: Erosion scaling factor. Type: int

        • 0: None

        • 1: Instantaneous exhumation rates from Pecube

        • 2: Normalized channel steepness

        • 3: Specific stream power

      If value e = 18:

      • Value f: Moraine scaling factor 1 (Moraine-covered areas). Type: float

      • Value g: Moraine scaling factor 1 (Moraine-free areas). Type: float

      • Value h: Erosion scaling factor. Type: int

        • 0: None

        • 1: Instantaneous exhumation rates from Pecube

        • 2: Normalized channel steepness

        • 3: Specific stream power

      If value e = 19:

      • Value f: Rock glacier scaling factor 1 (Rock glacier-covered areas). Type: float

      • Value g: Rock glacier scaling factor 1 (Rock glacier-free areas). Type: float

      • Value h: Erosion scaling factor. Type: int

        • 0: None

        • 1: Instantaneous exhumation rates from Pecube

        • 2: Normalized channel steepness

        • 3: Specific stream power

      If value e = 98:

      • Value f: Bedrock fertility scaling factor 1 (Checkha/TSS). Type: float

      • Value g: Bedrock fertility scaling factor 2 (GHS). Type: float

      • Value h: Bedrock fertility scaling factor 3 (LHS). Type: float

      • Value i: Bedrock fertility scaling factor 4 (Siwaliks). Type: float

      • Value j: Bedrock fertility scaling factor 5 (Leucogranites). Type: float

      • Value k: Bedrock fertility scaling factor 6 (Paro). Type: float

      • Value l: Glacier scaling factor (Glacier-covered areas). Type: float

      • Value m: Moraine scaling factor (Moraine-covered areas). Type: float

      • Value n: Rock glacier scaling factor (Rock glacier-covered areas). Type: float

      • Value o: Non-glacial scaling factor (Areas free of glacial formations). Type: float

      • Value p: Erosion scaling factor. Type: int

        • 0: None

        • 1: Instantaneous exhumation rates from Pecube

        • 2: Normalized channel steepness

        • 3: Specific stream power

      If value e = 99:

      • Value f: Glacier scaling factor (Glacier-covered areas). Type: float

      • Value g: Moraine scaling factor (Moraine-covered areas). Type: float

      • Value h: Rock glacier scaling factor (Rock glacier-covered areas). Type: float

      • Value i: Non-glacial scaling factor (Areas free of glacial formations). Type: float

      • Value j: Erosion scaling factor. Type: int

        • 0: None

        • 1: Instantaneous exhumation rates from Pecube

        • 2: Normalized channel steepness

        • 3: Specific stream power

    If value b = 3: Newer generic CSV file. Listed values are the same as for Value b = 2, with the addition below:

    Note

    If value e is equal to 97, additional information is required.

    If value e = 97:

    • Value f: Bedrock fertility scaling factor 1 (Checkha/TSS). Type: float

    • Value g: Bedrock fertility scaling factor 2 (GHS). Type: float

    • Value h: Bedrock fertility scaling factor 3 (LHS). Type: float

    • Value i: Bedrock fertility scaling factor 4 (Siwaliks). Type: float

    • Value j: Bedrock fertility scaling factor 5 (Leucogranites). Type: float

    • Value k: Bedrock fertility scaling factor 6 (Paro). Type: float

    • Value l: Glacier scaling factor (Glacier-covered areas). Type: float

    • Value m: Moraine scaling factor (Moraine-covered areas). Type: float

    • Value n: Rock glacier scaling factor (Rock glacier-covered areas). Type: float

    • Value o: Non-glacial scaling factor (Areas free of glacial formations). Type: float

    • Value p: Scaling factor for regions with hillslopes >30 degrees. Type: float

    • Value q: Scaling factor for regions with hillslopes <10 degrees. Type: float

    • Value r: Erosion scaling factor. Type: int

      • 0: None

      • 1: Instantaneous exhumation rates from Pecube

      • 2: Normalized channel steepness

      • 3: Specific stream power

Section 2: Number of grains to consider in predicted age PDFs

The second section of the Detrital MC input file contains information about the number of “samples” to consider when calculating age distributions. The input values are described in more detail below.

Section 2 of the Detrital MC input file (without comments)
$=== [2] - Number of grains to consider in predicted age PDFs ==================
0
0

Section 2, line 1 (1 required value)

  • Value a: Number of different sample sizes to consider. Type: int

    Detrital MC has the option to calculate age distributions using different numbers of ages in the distribution.

    • If a < 1, the code will use the number in the observed age file

    • If a > 0, you should list the number of different samples sizes on the second line

Section 2, line 2 (1 required value, additional optional values)

  • Value a: Number of ‘grains’ in each sample, separated by a single space. Type: int [int int ...]

    If value a on line one of this section is less than 1, this value is read, but ignored

Section 3: PDFs to calculate

Section three of the Detrital MC input file contains flags for which age distributions should be calculated. The input values are described in more detail below.

Section 3 of the Detrital MC input file (without comments)
$=== [3] - PDF generation ======================================================
1 0 1

Section 3, line 1 (3 required values)

  • Value a: Flag for whether or not to calculate age distributions for the observed age data. Type: int

    The input value must be either 1 or 0.

    • 1 = yes

    • 0 = no

  • Value b: Flag for whether or not to calculate age distributions for the entire predicted age population. Type: int

    The input value must be either 1 or 0.

    • 1 = yes

    • 0 = no

  • Value c: Flag for whether or not to calculate age distributions from Monte Carlo random samples from the predicted age population. Type: int

    The input value must be either 1 or 0.

    • 1 = yes

    • 0 = no