10. Bird, P., and D. A. Yuen (1979) The use of the minimum-dissipation principle in tectonophysics, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 45, 214-217.

Abstract. The principle, that "the rate of internal viscous dissipation is at a minimum," is incorrect when temperature and velocity fields are linked through temperature-dependent viscosity or density. This makes it inappropriate for the study of spreading ridge-transform fault systems or other plate-tectonic problems with large viscosity stratification resulting from large temperature gradients. Corrections to the principle are noted for cases without heat advection but with boundary tractions or non-linear materials.

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