Collaborative Research: Causes and Consequences of Strain Partitioning at Subduction Zones and Other Convergent Margins

9814429 McCaffrey当两个构造板块在不垂直于它们之间的边界的方向上会聚时，在板块之间产生平行于边界的剪切力。 如果这种会聚沿着一个缓倾的逆冲断层发生，那么上板块可能，而且经常是，迅速变形。 在许多情况下，位于俯冲板块上的上板块部分被撕裂并沿边缘沿着移动，与上板块的其余部分被边缘平行的走滑断层分开。 在这项研究中，P.I.将研究控制这一过程的因素，并从中获得对作用于边缘的力以及地球的物质特性的更好理解。 他们将汇编全球应变分配过程的信息，作为模拟斜向俯冲的数值计算机实验的指南。 主要目标是了解在这种情况下，什么样的变形测量可以告诉我们收敛边缘的力和流变学，并了解一般的因素，产生走滑断层。

9814429 McCaffrey When two tectonic plates converge in a direction that is not perpendicular to the boundary between them, there are shear forces generated between the plates acting parallel to the boundary. If this convergence occurs along a gently-dipping thrust fault then the upper plate may be, and very often is, deforming rapidly. In many cases the part of the upper plate that rests on the subducting plate gets torn and moves along the margin, separated from the rest of the upper plate by a margin-parallel strike-slip fault. In this study the P.Is. will examine the factors that control this process and from this will gain an improved understanding of the forces acting on the margin as well as the material properties of the Earth. They will compile information on the process of strain partitioning globally as a guide to numerical computer experiments that simulate oblique subduction. The main goals are to understand what measurements of deformation in this setting can tell us about the forces and rheology in convergent margins and also to understand in general terms the factors that produce strike-slip faults.