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，因为它具有板块构造-最上面的150至250公里厚的层（称为岩石圈）由许多“板块”组成，这些板块在下面的地幔上方相互移动。板块运动引起地震和火山，并导致山脉带和海洋盆地的形成。人类生活在岩石圈上，并从中获取能源、矿产和其他资源。尽管岩石圈与人类有着密切的关系，但大陆岩石圈在漫长的时间（超过数百万年）和广阔的空间（相当于北美大陆的大小）尺度下如何响应板块运动而变形，至今仍不完全清楚。两个互补的方法，以提高我们的理解：一个涉及实验室实验岩石圈材料尽可能接近自然条件下。另一个是本申请人所遵循的，是研究记录在岩石中的被称为“变形结构”的古代岩石圈变形的“特征”，并通过计算机模拟这些结构的发展。该建议要求基金支持我以华北板块东部为例进行的陆内变形研究。这项研究将涉及研究生和本科生两个层次的学生，将科学调查与新科学家的培训相结合。

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.