Collaborative Research: Three-Dimensional Deformation of Subducting Slabs: Observations and Kinematic Modeling

本研究探讨板如何变形的问题， 它们下降到地幔中，以及这种变形是如何与 观测到的地震活动。 这个问题很难解决。 本研究采用变分原理， 最小应变能方法，作为起点。 地震活动 将通过分析现有的目录和有限的 厚度板模型将用于分析应变。 以前的工作在阿留申群岛和卡斯卡迪亚将进行比较 这项研究将集中在西太平洋和南太平洋 美国俯冲带 本研究涉及板变形 地震活动在俯冲带，是一个组成部分 国家地震减灾计划。

This research deals with the problem of how slabs deform as they descend into the mantle, and how this deformation is related to the observed seismicity. This problem is very difficult to formulate and this research adopts a variational principle, a minimum strain energy approach, as a starting point. Seismicity will be studied by analysis of existing catalogues and finite thickness slab models will be used to analyze the strain. Previous work done in the Aleutians and Cascadia will be compared to this study which will concentrate on western Pacific and South American subduction zones. This research relates slab distortion to seismicity at subduction zones and is a component of the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program.