diff --git a/doc/modules/changes/20170609_gassmoeller b/doc/modules/changes/20170609_gassmoeller
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..44e74f158cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/modules/changes/20170609_gassmoeller
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+New: A new initial temperature condition was added that adds random
+noise of user prescribed magnitude to the initial temperature field.
+The same type of plugin was added for initial compositions.
+<br>
+(Rene Gassmoeller, 2017/06/19)
diff --git a/include/aspect/initial_composition/random_perturbation.h b/include/aspect/initial_composition/random_perturbation.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7a0c113e8aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/aspect/initial_composition/random_perturbation.h
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+/*
+  Copyright (C) 2017 by the authors of the ASPECT code.
+
+  This file is part of ASPECT.
+
+  ASPECT is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+  it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+  the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option)
+  any later version.
+
+  ASPECT is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+  GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+  along with ASPECT; see the file doc/COPYING.  If not see
+  <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+*/
+
+
+#ifndef _aspect_initial_composition_random_perturbation_h
+#define _aspect_initial_composition_random_perturbation_h
+
+#include <aspect/initial_composition/interface.h>
+#include <aspect/simulator_access.h>
+
+DEAL_II_DISABLE_EXTRA_DIAGNOSTICS
+#include <random>
+DEAL_II_ENABLE_EXTRA_DIAGNOSTICS
+
+namespace aspect
+{
+  namespace InitialComposition
+  {
+    using namespace dealii;
+
+    /**
+     * A class that describes a perturbation for the initial composition fields
+     * for any geometry model or dimension. The perturbation follows
+     * a random noise of a prescribed magnitude.
+     *
+     * @ingroup InitialCompositions
+     */
+    template <int dim>
+    class RandomPerturbation : public Interface<dim>, public aspect::SimulatorAccess<dim>
+
+    {
+      public:
+        void initialize () override;
+        /**
+         * Return the initial composition as a function of position.
+         */
+
+        double initial_composition (const Point<dim> &position, const unsigned int composition_index) const override;
+
+        /**
+         * Declare the parameters this class takes through input files.
+         */
+        static
+        void
+        declare_parameters (ParameterHandler &prm);
+
+        /**
+         * Read the parameters this class declares from the parameter file.
+         */
+        void
+        parse_parameters (ParameterHandler &prm) override;
+
+
+      private:
+        /**
+         * The maximal magnitude of the random noise.
+         */
+        double magnitude;
+
+        /**
+         * Whether to use a random seed for the random
+         * number generator. This parameter controls whether
+         * this plugin generates different or identical
+         * perturbations for subsequent model runs of
+         * the same setup.
+         */
+        bool use_random_seed;
+
+        /**
+         * A random number generator used by this class to get
+         * random composition perturbations. Should return the same
+         * random numbers every time since it is seeded with one.
+         */
+        mutable std::mt19937 random_number_generator;
+    };
+  }
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/include/aspect/initial_temperature/random_perturbation.h b/include/aspect/initial_temperature/random_perturbation.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d1fdf0b1cdd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/aspect/initial_temperature/random_perturbation.h
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+/*
+  Copyright (C) 2017 by the authors of the ASPECT code.
+
+  This file is part of ASPECT.
+
+  ASPECT is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+  it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+  the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option)
+  any later version.
+
+  ASPECT is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+  GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+  along with ASPECT; see the file doc/COPYING.  If not see
+  <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+*/
+
+
+#ifndef _aspect_initial_temperature_random_perturbation_h
+#define _aspect_initial_temperature_random_perturbation_h
+
+#include <aspect/initial_temperature/interface.h>
+#include <aspect/simulator_access.h>
+
+DEAL_II_DISABLE_EXTRA_DIAGNOSTICS
+#include <random>
+DEAL_II_ENABLE_EXTRA_DIAGNOSTICS
+
+namespace aspect
+{
+  namespace InitialTemperature
+  {
+    using namespace dealii;
+
+    /**
+     * A class that describes a perturbation for the initial temperature field
+     * for any geometry model or dimension. The perturbation follows
+     * a random noise of a prescribed magnitude.
+     *
+     * @ingroup InitialTemperatures
+     */
+    template <int dim>
+    class RandomPerturbation : public Interface<dim>, public aspect::SimulatorAccess<dim>
+    {
+      public:
+        void initialize () override;
+        /**
+         * Return the initial temperature as a function of position.
+         */
+
+        double initial_temperature (const Point<dim> &position) const override;
+
+        /**
+         * Declare the parameters this class takes through input files.
+         */
+        static
+        void
+        declare_parameters (ParameterHandler &prm);
+
+        /**
+         * Read the parameters this class declares from the parameter file.
+         */
+        void
+        parse_parameters (ParameterHandler &prm) override;
+
+      private:
+        /**
+         * The maximal magnitude of the random noise.
+         */
+        double magnitude;
+
+        /**
+         * Whether to use a random seed for the random
+         * number generator. This parameter controls whether
+         * this plugin generates different or identical
+         * perturbations for subsequent model runs of
+         * the same setup.
+         */
+        bool use_random_seed;
+
+        /**
+         * A random number generator used by this class to get
+         * random temperature perturbations. Should return the same
+         * random numbers every time since it is seeded with one.
+         */
+        mutable std::mt19937 random_number_generator;
+
+    };
+  }
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/source/initial_composition/random_perturbation.cc b/source/initial_composition/random_perturbation.cc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..425dff106df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/source/initial_composition/random_perturbation.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+/*
+  Copyright (C) 2017 by the authors of the ASPECT code.
+
+  This file is part of ASPECT.
+
+  ASPECT is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+  it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+  the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option)
+  any later version.
+
+  ASPECT is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+  GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+  along with ASPECT; see the file doc/COPYING.  If not see
+  <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+*/
+
+
+#include <aspect/initial_composition/random_perturbation.h>
+
+// #include <boost/functional/hash.hpp>
+#include <random>
+#include <time.h>
+
+namespace aspect
+{
+  namespace InitialComposition
+  {
+    template <int dim>
+    void
+    RandomPerturbation<dim>::
+    initialize()
+    {
+      const unsigned int my_rank = Utilities::MPI::this_mpi_process(this->get_mpi_communicator());
+      if (use_random_seed)
+        random_number_generator.seed(time(NULL)+my_rank);
+      else
+        random_number_generator.seed(9088+my_rank);
+    }
+
+    template <int dim>
+    double
+    RandomPerturbation<dim>::
+    initial_composition (const Point<dim> &position,  const unsigned int composition_index) const
+    {
+      // Uniform distribution on the interval [-magnitude,magnitude). This
+      // will be used to generate the random temperature perturbation.
+      std::uniform_real_distribution<double> uniform_distribution(-magnitude,magnitude);
+      return uniform_distribution(random_number_generator);
+    }
+
+    template <int dim>
+    void
+    RandomPerturbation<dim>::declare_parameters (ParameterHandler &prm)
+    {
+      prm.enter_subsection ("Initial composition model");
+      {
+        prm.enter_subsection("Random perturbation");
+        {
+          prm.declare_entry ("Magnitude", "1.0",
+                             Patterns::Double (0),
+                             "The magnitude of the random perturbation.");
+          prm.declare_entry ("Use random seed", "false",
+                             Patterns::Bool(),
+                             "Whether to use a random seed for the random "
+                             "number generator. This parameter controls whether "
+                             "this plugin generates different or identical "
+                             "perturbations for subsequent model runs of"
+                             "the same setup.");
+        }
+        prm.leave_subsection ();
+      }
+      prm.leave_subsection ();
+    }
+
+
+    template <int dim>
+    void
+    RandomPerturbation<dim>::parse_parameters (ParameterHandler &prm)
+    {
+      prm.enter_subsection ("Initial composition model");
+      {
+        prm.enter_subsection("Random perturbation");
+        {
+          magnitude = prm.get_double ("Magnitude");
+          use_random_seed = prm.get_bool("Use random seed");
+        }
+        prm.leave_subsection ();
+      }
+      prm.leave_subsection ();
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+// explicit instantiations
+namespace aspect
+{
+  namespace InitialComposition
+  {
+    ASPECT_REGISTER_INITIAL_COMPOSITION_MODEL(RandomPerturbation,
+                                              "random perturbation",
+                                              "An initial composition anomaly that perturbs the composition "
+                                              "following a random noise with uniform distribution and user "
+                                              "specified magnitude.")
+  }
+}
diff --git a/source/initial_temperature/random_perturbation.cc b/source/initial_temperature/random_perturbation.cc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..24f186af38f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/source/initial_temperature/random_perturbation.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+/*
+  Copyright (C) 2017 by the authors of the ASPECT code.
+
+  This file is part of ASPECT.
+
+  ASPECT is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+  it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+  the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option)
+  any later version.
+
+  ASPECT is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+  GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+  along with ASPECT; see the file doc/COPYING.  If not see
+  <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+*/
+
+
+#include <aspect/initial_temperature/random_perturbation.h>
+
+// #include <boost/functional/hash.hpp>
+#include <random>
+#include <time.h>
+
+namespace aspect
+{
+  namespace InitialTemperature
+  {
+    template <int dim>
+    void
+    RandomPerturbation<dim>::
+    initialize()
+    {
+      const unsigned int my_rank = Utilities::MPI::this_mpi_process(this->get_mpi_communicator());
+      if (use_random_seed)
+        random_number_generator.seed(time(NULL)+my_rank);
+      else
+        random_number_generator.seed(9088+my_rank);
+    }
+
+    template <int dim>
+    double
+    RandomPerturbation<dim>::
+    initial_temperature (const Point<dim> &position) const
+    {
+      // Uniform distribution on the interval [-magnitude,magnitude). This
+      // will be used to generate the random temperature perturbation.
+      std::uniform_real_distribution<double> uniform_distribution(-magnitude,magnitude);
+      return uniform_distribution(random_number_generator);
+    }
+
+    template <int dim>
+    void
+    RandomPerturbation<dim>::declare_parameters (ParameterHandler &prm)
+    {
+      prm.enter_subsection ("Initial temperature model");
+      {
+        prm.enter_subsection("Random perturbation");
+        {
+          prm.declare_entry ("Magnitude", "1.0",
+                             Patterns::Double (0),
+                             "The magnitude of the random perturbation.");
+          prm.declare_entry ("Use random seed", "false",
+                             Patterns::Bool(),
+                             "Whether to use a random seed for the random "
+                             "number generator. This parameter controls whether "
+                             "this plugin generates different or identical "
+                             "perturbations for different model runs.");
+        }
+        prm.leave_subsection ();
+      }
+      prm.leave_subsection ();
+    }
+
+
+    template <int dim>
+    void
+    RandomPerturbation<dim>::parse_parameters (ParameterHandler &prm)
+    {
+      prm.enter_subsection ("Initial temperature model");
+      {
+        prm.enter_subsection("Random perturbation");
+        {
+          magnitude = prm.get_double ("Magnitude");
+          use_random_seed = prm.get_bool("Use random seed");
+        }
+        prm.leave_subsection ();
+      }
+      prm.leave_subsection ();
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+// explicit instantiations
+namespace aspect
+{
+  namespace InitialTemperature
+  {
+    ASPECT_REGISTER_INITIAL_TEMPERATURE_MODEL(RandomPerturbation,
+                                              "random perturbation",
+                                              "An initial temperature anomaly that perturbs the temperature "
+                                              "following a random noise with uniform distribution and user "
+                                              "specified magnitude.")
+  }
+}
diff --git a/tests/random_composition_perturbation.prm b/tests/random_composition_perturbation.prm
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..bd82910303d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/random_composition_perturbation.prm
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+# Test to check the status of the random initial composition perturbation
+# plugin.
+
+subsection Boundary velocity model
+  set Tangential velocity boundary indicators = left, right, bottom, top
+end
+
+subsection Mesh refinement
+  set Initial global refinement = 3
+end
+
+subsection Postprocess
+  set List of postprocessors = composition statistics
+end
+
+subsection Compositional fields
+  set Number of fields = 2
+end
+
+subsection Material model
+  set Model name = simpler
+end
+
+set End time = 0
+subsection Geometry model
+  set Model name = box
+end
+
+subsection Gravity model
+  set Model name = vertical
+end
+
+subsection Initial temperature model
+  set List of model names = function
+  subsection Function
+    set Function expression = 0.5
+  end
+
+end
+
+subsection Initial composition model
+  set List of model names = function, random perturbation
+  subsection Random perturbation
+    set Magnitude = 0.2
+  end
+
+  subsection Function
+    set Function expression = 0.5;0.0
+  end
+
+end
+
+subsection Boundary temperature model
+  set List of model names = box
+end
diff --git a/tests/random_composition_perturbation/screen-output b/tests/random_composition_perturbation/screen-output
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1a746fdca3b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/random_composition_perturbation/screen-output
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+
+Number of active cells: 64 (on 4 levels)
+Number of degrees of freedom: 1,526 (578+81+289+289+289)
+
+*** Timestep 0:  t=0 years
+   Solving temperature system... 0 iterations.
+   Solving C_1 system ... 0 iterations.
+   Solving C_2 system ... 0 iterations.
+   Rebuilding Stokes preconditioner...
+   Solving Stokes system... 2+0 iterations.
+
+   Postprocessing:
+     Compositions min/max/mass: 0.3002/0.6997/0.5069 // -0.199/0.1999/-0.007404
+
+Termination requested by criterion: end time
+
+
++---------------------------------------------+------------+------------+
++---------------------------------+-----------+------------+------------+
++---------------------------------+-----------+------------+------------+
+
diff --git a/tests/random_composition_perturbation/statistics b/tests/random_composition_perturbation/statistics
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9743ff8bf2b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/random_composition_perturbation/statistics
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# 1: Time step number
+# 2: Time (years)
+# 3: Time step size (years)
+# 4: Number of mesh cells
+# 5: Number of Stokes degrees of freedom
+# 6: Number of temperature degrees of freedom
+# 7: Number of degrees of freedom for all compositions
+# 8: Iterations for temperature solver
+# 9: Iterations for composition solver 1
+# 10: Iterations for composition solver 2
+# 11: Iterations for Stokes solver
+# 12: Velocity iterations in Stokes preconditioner
+# 13: Schur complement iterations in Stokes preconditioner
+# 14: Minimal value for composition C_1
+# 15: Maximal value for composition C_1
+# 16: Global mass for composition C_1
+# 17: Minimal value for composition C_2
+# 18: Maximal value for composition C_2
+# 19: Global mass for composition C_2
+0 0.000000000000e+00 0.000000000000e+00 64 659 289 578 0 0 0 1 3 2 3.00222459e-01 6.99744700e-01 5.06886136e-01 -1.99012748e-01 1.99867409e-01 -7.40357014e-03 
diff --git a/tests/random_temperature_perturbation.prm b/tests/random_temperature_perturbation.prm
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9d8eeded384
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/random_temperature_perturbation.prm
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+# Test to check the status of the random initial temperature perturbation
+# plugin.
+
+subsection Boundary velocity model
+  set Tangential velocity boundary indicators = left, right, bottom, top
+end
+
+subsection Mesh refinement
+  set Initial global refinement = 3
+end
+
+subsection Postprocess
+  set List of postprocessors = temperature statistics
+end
+
+subsection Material model
+  set Model name = simpler
+end
+
+set End time = 0
+subsection Geometry model
+  set Model name = box
+end
+
+subsection Gravity model
+  set Model name = vertical
+end
+
+subsection Initial temperature model
+  set List of model names = function, random perturbation
+  subsection Random perturbation
+    set Magnitude = 0.2
+  end
+
+  subsection Function
+    set Function expression = 0.5
+  end
+
+end
+
+subsection Boundary temperature model
+  set List of model names = box
+end
diff --git a/tests/random_temperature_perturbation/screen-output b/tests/random_temperature_perturbation/screen-output
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..944cd96a0d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/random_temperature_perturbation/screen-output
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+
+Number of active cells: 64 (on 4 levels)
+Number of degrees of freedom: 948 (578+81+289)
+
+*** Timestep 0:  t=0 years
+   Solving temperature system... 0 iterations.
+   Rebuilding Stokes preconditioner...
+   Solving Stokes system... 14+0 iterations.
+
+   Postprocessing:
+     Temperature min/avg/max: 0.302 K, 0.4957 K, 0.6998 K
+
+Termination requested by criterion: end time
+
+
++---------------------------------------------+------------+------------+
++---------------------------------+-----------+------------+------------+
++---------------------------------+-----------+------------+------------+
+
diff --git a/tests/random_temperature_perturbation/statistics b/tests/random_temperature_perturbation/statistics
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b5bfb68e845
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/random_temperature_perturbation/statistics
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# 1: Time step number
+# 2: Time (years)
+# 3: Time step size (years)
+# 4: Number of mesh cells
+# 5: Number of Stokes degrees of freedom
+# 6: Number of temperature degrees of freedom
+# 7: Iterations for temperature solver
+# 8: Iterations for Stokes solver
+# 9: Velocity iterations in Stokes preconditioner
+# 10: Schur complement iterations in Stokes preconditioner
+# 11: Minimal temperature (K)
+# 12: Average temperature (K)
+# 13: Maximal temperature (K)
+0 0.000000000000e+00 0.000000000000e+00 64 659 289 0 13 15 14 3.02047032e-01 4.95676273e-01 6.99758663e-01