Kinematics, Dynamics, and Rheology of Diffuse Oceanic Plate Boundaries

William Marsh Rice University, Houston TX

Investigators

Abstract

This is a continuation of investigations of the kinematics, rheology, and dynamics of diffuse oceanic plate boundaries. Diffuse plate boundaries are 100's to 1000's of kilometers in across-strike width, occur in both oceanic and continental lithosphere, cover 15% of Earth's surface, and accommodate relative plate motion of up to 15 mm/year. The project will estimate torques from angular velocities for various plate pairs, fit the deformation profiles across the Central Indain Basin to obtain more precise estimates of the rheology, and use the results to quantify with simple physics the strength of faults for some diffuse plate boundaries.