Interactive comment on “Assessment of numerical schemes for transient, finite-element ice flow models using ISSM v4.18” by

This paper reports on some worthwhile updates made to ISSM, a well known, widely used and world leading ice sheet model. It makes a systematic comparison of two sets of numerical methods. The first set is of standard methods used across the FEM world to deal with advection dominated problems, the second set is of more ice-sheet specific modifications to the numerical treatment of the driving stress. I found the paper straightforward to read and complete in its presentation, and it seems a good match for GMD.