Large‐scale crustal deformation of the Tibetan Plateau

Shen, Feng; Royden, L.; Burchfiel, B. C.

doi:10.1029/2000jb900389

Cited by 222 publications

(219 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…Tapponnier et al 1982; Davy & Cobbold 1988;England & Molnar 1990;Shen et al 2001 ). Irrespective of the relative merits of the various competing models, there is clear evidence in much of Asia that significant deformation and displacement have occurred along a series of very large intraplate strike-slip deformation belts during the Cenozoic.…”

Section: B E N D S a N D S T E P O V E R Smentioning

confidence: 99%

Intraplate strike-slip deformation belts

2003

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Intraplate strike-slip deformation belts are typically steeply-dipping structures that develop in both oceanic and continental lithosphere where they form some of the largest and most spectacular discontinuities found on Earth. In both modern and ancient continental settings, intraplate strike slip deformation belts are of major importance in accommodating horizontal displacements where they additionally form very persistent zones of weakness that substantially influence the rheological behaviour of the lithosphere over very long time periods (up to 1 Ga or more). These deformation zones provide a fundamental geometric, kinematic and dynamic link between the more rigid plate-dominated tectonics of the oceans and the non-rigid, complex behaviour of the continents. During convergence, they help to transfer major displacements deep into the plate interiors. During divergence, they act as transfer zones that segment rifts, passive continental margins and, ultimately, oceanic spreading ridges. Such belts are also of great economic importance, controlling the location of many destructive earthquakes, offshore and onshore hydrocarbon deposits and metalliferous ore deposits. In the oceans, intraplate strike-slip movements are relatively minor along transform-related fracture zones, but there are an increasing number of documented examples that may reflect spatial and temporal variations in spreading rate along individual active ridge segments.

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Section: B E N D S a N D S T E P O V E R Smentioning

confidence: 99%

Intraplate strike-slip deformation belts

2003

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“…ence of the matrix viscosity must be considered first. The matrix viscosity is approximately an exponential function of depth [e.g., Fletcher and Hallet, 1983;Zuber, 1987;Shen et al, 2001] …”

Section: Folding Of a Ductile Layer Resting On A Matrixmentioning

confidence: 99%

Control of folding by gravity and matrix thickness: Implications for large‐scale folding

2002

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[1] We show that folding of a non-Newtonian layer resting on a homogeneous Newtonian matrix with finite thickness under influence of gravity can occur by three modes: (1) matrix-controlled folding, dependent on the effective viscosity contrast between layer and matrix, (2) gravitycontrolled folding, dependent on the Argand number (the ratio of the stress caused by gravity to the stress caused by shortening), and (3) detachment folding, dependent on the ratio of matrix thickness to layer thickness. We construct a phase diagram that defines the transitions between each of the three folding modes. Our priority is transparency of the analytical derivations (e.g., thin-plate versus thick-plate approximations), which permits complete classification of the folding modes involving a minimum number of dimensionless parameters. Accuracy and sensitivity of the analytical results to model assumptions are investigated. In particular, depth dependence of matrix rheology is only important for folding over a narrow range of material parameters. In contrast, strong depth dependence of the viscosity of the folding layer limits applicability of ductile rheology and leads to a viscoelastic transition. Our theory is applied to estimate the effective thickness of the folded central Asian upper crust using the ratio of topographic wavelength to Moho depth. Phase diagrams based on geometrical parameters show that gravity does not significantly control folding in the Jura and the Zagros Mountains but does control folding in central Asia. Applicability conditions of viscous and thin sheet models for large-scale lithospheric deformation, derived in terms of the Argand number, have implications for the plate-like style of planetary tectonics.

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“…Many of the geodynamic models involving partially molten material use arbitrary weakening functions rather than experimental parameters (e.g. Beaumont et al 2001;Shen et al 2001). Ernie and his group showed that their empirical flow law for partially molten rock could be used effectively in geodynamic modelling .…”

Section: Metamorphic Reactions and Partial Meltingmentioning

confidence: 99%