Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
4694752 | Tectonophysics | 2007 | 8 Pages |
Abstract
This paper evaluates driving mechanisms of vertical-axis rotation using data from the western Transverse Ranges in southern California. Simple force balance considerations and comparison of torque applied to a rotating block indicate that shear forces applied to the base of the block are not strong enough to produce the motions and deformation observed at the surface. For the measured dimensions of the crustal blocks and crustal viscosities in southern California, stresses transmitted through the upper crust are one to three orders of magnitude stronger than forces generated in the ductile lower crust. These results suggest that the kinematics of crustal blocks in continental deformation zones are primarily controlled by forces within the upper crust rather than a flow field beneath.
Keywords
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Earth and Planetary Sciences
Earth-Surface Processes
Authors
Nathan W. Onderdonk,