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）和表明构造事件造成的变形的过程。这种变形记录反过来又成为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（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）的组成部分。这项研究计划的长期目标有三个方面：(1)了解地球变形的动力学，从岩石中记录的时间和空间变化来看；(2)确定变形的潜在原因和对变形的反应；(3)建立一个具有国际竞争力的研究实验室，将材料科学技术（纳米地质学、透射电子显微镜）应用于岩石和矿物的化学力学行为问题。这种以过程为导向的构造地质学研究的根本目标是将岩石变形的微观化学-力学过程与全球构造产生的更大特征进行对比。该研究计划利用综合现场和实验室方法，将观测结果结合起来，尽可能全面地描述地球动力学。我们描述和理解地球内部运动起源的能力是预测构造与行星系统其他方面（如地震、火山爆发、气候影响、自然灾害）之间的直接和长期联系的重要一步。

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).