Index: /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/classes/materials.py
===================================================================
--- /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/classes/materials.py	(revision 12116)
+++ /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/classes/materials.py	(revision 12117)
@@ -19,4 +19,6 @@
 		self.rheology_n   = float('NaN')
 		self.rheology_law = "";
+
+		self.setdefaultparameters()
 		#}}}
 	def __repr__(obj):
@@ -40,2 +42,39 @@
 		return string
 		#}}}
+	def setdefaultparameters(obj):
+		# {{{setdefaultparameters
+			#ice density (kg/m^3)
+			obj.rho_ice=917
+
+			#water density (kg/m^3)
+			obj.rho_water=1023
+
+			#water viscosity (N.s/m^2)
+			obj.mu_water=0.001787  
+
+			#ice heat capacity cp (J/kg/K)
+			obj.heatcapacity=2093
+
+			#ice latent heat of fusion L (J/kg)
+			obj.latentheat=3.34*10**5
+
+			#ice thermal conductivity (W/m/K)
+			obj.thermalconductivity=2.4
+
+			#the melting point of ice at 1 atmosphere of pressure in K
+			obj.meltingpoint=273.15
+
+			#rate of change of melting point with pressure (K/Pa)
+			obj.beta=9.8*10**-8
+
+			#mixed layer (ice-water interface) heat capacity (J/kg/K)
+			obj.mixed_layer_capacity=3974
+
+			#thermal exchange velocity (ice-water interface) (m/s)
+			obj.thermal_exchange_velocity=1.00*10**-4
+
+			#Rheology law: what is the temperature dependence of B with T
+			#available: none, paterson and arrhenius
+			obj.rheology_law='Paterson'
+			return obj
+		#}}}