PECUBE is a three-dimensional thermal-kinematic code capable of solving
the heat production-diffusion-advection equation under a temporally
varying surface boundary condition. It was initially developed to assess
the effects of time-varying surface topography (relief) on
low-temperature thermochronological datasets. Thermochronometric ages
are predicted by tracking the time-temperature histories of
rock-particles ending up at the surface and by combining these with
various age-prediction models. In the decade since its inception, the
PECUBE code has been under continuous development as its use became
wider and addressed different tectonic-geomorphic problems. This paper
describes several major recent improvements in the code, including its
integration with an inverse-modeling package based on the Neighborhood
Algorithm, the incorporation of fault-controlled kinematics, several
different ways to address topographic and drainage change through time,
the ability to predict subsurface (tunnel or borehole) data, prediction
of detrital thermochronology data and a method to compare these with
observations, and the coupling with landscape-evolution (or
surface-process) models. Each new development is described together with
one or several applications, so that the reader and potential user can
clearly assess and make use of the capabilities of PECUBE. We end with
describing some developments that are currently underway or should take
place in the foreseeable future. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights
reserved.