Integrated fieldwork and numerical modeling investigation of deformation structures in earth's crust

地球在太阳系的类地行星中是独一无二的，因为它有板块构造——最上面的150到250公里厚的一层（称为岩石圈）由许多“板块”组成，这些“板块”在地幔之上相对移动。板块运动引起地震和火山，并对山带和海洋盆地的形成负责。人类生活在岩石圈上，并从中获取能源、矿物和其他资源。尽管它与人类有着密切的关系，但人们仍然不完全了解大陆岩石圈是如何在长时间（超过数百万年）和广阔的空间（与北美大陆的大小相当）尺度上响应板块运动而变形的。我们采用了两种互补的方法来推进我们的理解：一种是在尽可能接近自然条件的情况下对岩石圈物质进行实验室实验。另一个是这位申请人所遵循的，是研究岩石中记录的古代岩石圈变形的“特征”，这些特征被称为“变形结构”，并用计算机模拟这些结构的发展。本申请申请资金支持我以华北克拉通东部为例进行大陆内变形研究。这项研究将涉及研究生和本科生两个层次的学生，将科学调查与培养新科学家结合起来。

The Earth is unique among the terrestrial planets in the solar system in that it has plate tectonics - the uppermost 150 to 250km thick layer (called the lithosphere) consists of many "plates" moving relative to each other above the underlying mantle. Plate movement causes earthquakes and volcanoes and is responsible for the formation of mountain belts and ocean basins. Human beings live on the lithosphere and derive energy, mineral, and other resources from it. Despite its close relationship to humanity, it remains incompletely understood how the continental lithosphere deforms in response to plate movement over long time (more than millions of years) and vast space (comparable to the size of a continent like the North America) scales. Two complementary approaches are applied to advance our understanding: One involves laboratory experiments on lithospheric materials under as close to natural conditions as possible. The other which is the one followed by this applicant is to study the "signatures" of ancient lithospheric deformation recorded in rocks which are called "deformation structures", and to model the development of these structures by computers. This proposal requests funds to support my research on intra-continental deformation using the east part of the North China Craton as a field example. The research will involve students at both graduate and undergraduate levels, combining scientific investigation with the training of new scientists.