Investigation of Crustal Contraction Mechanisms in the Brittle/Ductile Transition Zone

在了解挤压变形环境中逆冲断层的启动和扩展的控制方面，已经进行了大量的研究工作。这些工作大部分是在上地壳、薄皮的冲断带上完成的。这一提议将把这项工作扩展到在脆性/韧性转换附近的地壳中间水平形成的逆冲带。该带位于意大利亚平宁北部的托斯卡纳推覆体内，通过阿普亚内阿尔卑斯山以西的Liquride层序暴露在窗户中。这项研究将重点放在适应收缩变形的机制上，并将包括对环境条件和流体作用的研究。这项研究的结果应有助于理解地壳中部的逆冲带如何启动和传播，从而能够更好地解释地壳深部结构。

Considerable research effort has been directed at understanding the controls on initiation and propagation of thrust faults in contractional deformation environments. Much of this work has been done on upper crustal, thin-skinned thrust belts. This proposal will extend this work to a thrust zone that formed at intermediate crustal levels near the brittle/ductile transition. The zone lies within the Tuscan nappe of the Northern Apennines, Italy, and is exposed in a window through the Liquride sequences located west of the Apuane Alps. The study will focused on the mechanism that accommodate the contractional deformation and will include study of environmental conditions and the role of fluids. Results of this research should contribute to understanding of how thrust zones at mid-crustal levels initiate and propagate hand thus allow better interpretation of deep crustal structure.