Earth deformation - structure, kinematics and processes

岩石在不同程度上记录了构造、运动学(运动历史)和指示构造事件造成的变形的过程。这种变形记录反过来又是理解地球表面和内部动力学的核心，是地球科学研究的几个领域的组成部分，包括构造地质学、构造学、地球动力学、矿物物理学和新构造学)。这项研究计划的长期目标有三个方面：(1)了解地球变形随时间和空间的变化以及岩石中记录的记录的动态；(2)确定变形的根本原因和对变形的响应；(3)发展一个具有国际竞争力的研究实验室，应用材料科学技术(纳米地质学、透射电子显微镜)研究岩石和矿物的化学机械行为问题。这项以过程为导向的构造地质学研究以岩石变形的微观化学机械过程与全球构造产生的更大特征之间的关联为基本目标。该研究计划利用综合实地和实验室方法，将观测结果结合成对地球动力学的最全面描述。我们描述和理解地球内部运动起源的能力是朝着预测构造与行星系统其他方面(例如地震、火山喷发、气候影响、自然灾害)的直接和长期联系迈出的重要一步。

Rocks record, to varying degrees, the structure, kinematics (movement history) and processes indicative of the deformation imposed by tectonic events.  This record of deformation is, in turn, central to the understanding of both the surface and interior dynamics of Earth and is a component of several areas of earth science research including structural geology, tectonics, geodynamics, mineral physics and neotectonics). The long-term objectives of this research program are three-fold: (1) to develop an understanding of the dynamics of earth deformation as seen in variations over time, and in space, of the record recorded in rocks (2) to determine the underlying causes of and responses to deformation; (3) to develop an internationally competitive research lab for the application of materials science techniques (nanogeology, transmission electron microscopy) to questions of the chemo-mechanical behaviour of rocks and minerals.  This process-oriented structural geology research has as an underlying goal the correlation of microscopic chemo-mechanical processes of rock deformation with the larger features produced by global tectonics. The research program utilizes an integrated field and laboratory approach to combine observations into the fullest possible description of Earth dynamics. Our ability to both describe and understand the origins of movements within Earth are an important step toward predicting both immediate and long-term linkages of tectonics to other aspects of the planetary system (e.g. earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, climatic influences, natural hazards).