Japan (JSPS) Postdoctoral Program: Plate Tectonics and Convergent Margin Geology in Southwest Japan

该奖项将为布朗大学的Timothy Byrne博士与Asahiko Taira博士在日本东京大学海洋研究所进行为期一年的合作研究提供补充支持。他们将通过比较从海洋盆地观测推断出的板块运动与活跃大陆边缘的地质历史，来研究板块构造与大陆演化之间的关系。具体来说，他们将记录（使用从适当时期的大陆岩石收集的数据进行结构分析）日本的地质历史是否记录了由皇帝-夏威夷海山链的弯曲所证明的板块运动的主要变化。尽管板块构造理论已经使人们对海洋盆地的演化有了相对清晰的认识，但对于大陆的演化以及它们的演化与岩石圈板块运动的关系却知之甚少。在伯恩博士研究板块构造和大陆演化之间的关系时，泰拉博士的专业知识以及海洋研究所提供的设施和数据将具有重要价值。

This award will provide supplementary support to enable Dr. Timothy Byrne of Brown University to conduct collaborative research with Dr. Asahiko Taira for one year at the Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Japan. They will investigate the relationship between plate tectonics and the evolution of the continents by comparing plate motions, as inferred from observations in the ocean basins, with the geologic history of an active continental margin. Specific- ally, they will document (using structural analyses on data collected from continental rocks from the appropriate time period) whether or not the geologic history of Japan records the major change in plate motions that is evidenced by the bend in the Emperor-Hawaiian seamount chain. Although the theory of plate tectonics has led to a relatively clear understanding of the evolution of the ocean basins, little is known about the evolution of the continents or how their evolution is related to the motion of lithospheric plates. Dr. Taira's expertise, and the facilities and data available though the Ocean Research Institute will be of significant value to Dr. Byrne as he investigates the relationship between plate tectonics and the evolution of the continents.