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

当两个构造板块在与它们之间的边界不垂直的方向上汇合时，在平行于边界的板块之间产生剪切力。如果这种会聚沿着缓缓倾斜的逆冲断层发生，那么上板块可能而且经常是快速变形。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移动，与上板块的其余部分被边缘平行的走滑断层隔开。在这项研究中，P.I.将研究控制这一过程的因素，并由此对作用于边缘的力以及地球的物质属性有更好的理解。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。主要目的是了解在这种背景下的形变测量可以告诉我们关于收敛边缘的力和流变学的信息，并从总体上了解产生走滑断层的因素。

9814753Buck 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.