Analysis of surface deformation patterns using 3D finite element method: A case study in the Skåne area, Sweden

The application of geodetic techniques to study crustal deformations associated with the geodynamic activity of a region is considered as a fundamental tool in seismic risk mitigation and in earthquake prediction research. In principle, the crustal deformation analysis is a purely geodetic problem as it concerns alteration of the Earth shape, so that deformations of the crust are directly connected with geodetic observables. The Tornquist zone across Skåne in southern Sweden is a classical fault zone that separates the Precambrium gneisses of the Baltic shield in the north from Phanerozoic Europe to the south. In this region, a Global Positioning Network (GPS) was established to study possible crustal motions. The aim of this article is to improve on previous study in to estimate the possible crustal strains and dilation parameters by a finite element analysis. Results show that the areas with maximum shear strain and dilation are located exactly in the active fault zones and their intersections. However, further observations in a dense network as well as integration with geological and geophysical data are needed to fully explore the recent crustal motions over the Tornquist zone.