Flow properties of continental lithosphere

Carter, Neville L.; Tsenn, Michael C.

doi:10.1016/0040-1951(87)90333-7

Cited by 749 publications

(415 citation statements)

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“…For one layer, the lithostatic pressure increase with depth may be defined as dP=q i gdh, where q i is the density of the layer. Ductile deformation of the lithosphere is assumed to be dominated by dislocation creep and, thus, its mechanical behaviour is governed by a nonlinear viscous law (e.g., Brace and Kohlstedt, 1980;Carter and Tsenn, 1987;Tsenn and Carter, 1987). If the composition and the temperature profile are known, the minimum differential stress needed to maintain a given strain rate is given by:…”

Section: Lithospheric Strengthmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Experimental investigations centred on the deformation properties of several rocks have yielded rheological laws related to the first-order mechanical behaviour of the continental crust (e.g., Brace and Kohlstedt, 1980;Kuznir and Park, 1984;Carter and Tsenn, 1987;Kirby and Kronenberg, 1987;Tsenn and Carter, 1987;Ranalli, 1997). Different lithologies at varying depths, each with characteristic mechanical properties and deformational responses to a given regime of temperature, pressure, strain rate and fluid pressure, lend supports to the phenomenon of rheological stratification of the lithosphere.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Thermal and mechanical structure of the central Iberian Peninsula lithosphere

Tejero

Ruíz

2002

Tectonophysics

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The central Iberian Peninsula (Spain) is made up of three main tectonic units: a mountain range, the Spanish Central System and two Tertiary basins (those of the rivers Duero and Tajo). These units are the result of widespread foreland deformation of the Iberian plate interior in response to Alpine convergence of European and African plates. The present study was designed to investigate thermal structure and rheological stratification in this region of central Spain. Surface heat flow has been described to range from f 80 to f 60 mW m À2 . Highest surface heat flow values correspond to the Central System and northern part of the Tajo Basin. The relationship between elevation and thermal state was used to construct a one-dimensional thermal model. Mantle heat flow drops from 34 mW m À2 (Duero Basin) to 27 mW m À2 (Tajo Basin), and increases with diminishing surface heat flow. Strength predictions made by extrapolating experimental data indicate varying rheological stratification throughout the area. In general, in compression, ductile fields predominate in the middle and lower crusts and lithospheric mantle. Brittle behaviour is restricted to the first f 8 km of the upper crust and to a thin layer at the top of the middle crust. In tension, brittle layers are slightly more extended, while the lower crust and lithospheric mantle remain ductile in the case of a wet peridotite composition. Discontinuities in brittle and ductile layer thickness determine lateral rheological anisotropy. Tectonic units roughly correspond to rheological domains. Brittle layers reach their maximum thickness beneath the Duero Basin and are of least thickness under the Tajo Basin, especially its northern area. Estimated total lithospheric strength shows a range from 2.5Â10 12 to 8Â10 12 N m À1 in compression, and from 1.3Â10 12 to 1.6Â10 12 N m À1 in tension. Highest values were estimated for the Duero Basin. Depth versus frequency of earthquakes correlates well with strength predictions. Earthquake foci concentrate mainly in the upper crust, showing a peak close to maximum strength depth. Most earthquakes occur in the southern margin of the Central System and southeast Tajo Basin. Seismicity is related to major faults, some bounding rheological domains. The Duero Basin is a relative quiescence zone characterised by higher total lithospheric strength than the remaining units. D

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Section: Lithospheric Strengthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermal and mechanical structure of the central Iberian Peninsula lithosphere

Tejero

Ruíz

2002

Tectonophysics

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“…The thermal structure adopted is a steady-state temperature profile for various basal heat flows and amounts and distributions (exponential in the upper crust, constant in the lower crust) of radiogenic heat production in the crust. The rheological configuration adapts brittle deformation according to Byerlee's law or a material-specific ductile flow law from experimental rock mechanics data (Carter and Tsenn, 1987). For the upper crust we adopted granite, for the lower crust diorite (wet) and diabase (dry), and for the mantle, dunite.…”

Section: Rheological Modellingmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Klagenfurt Basin in the Eastern Alps: an intra-orogenic decoupled flexural basin?

et al. 1997

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The Klagenfurt Basin is an E-W-trending narrow Sarmatian to Quaternary flexural basin formed by flexure of the Austro-Alpine lithosphere by loading through the southerly adjacent Karawanken Mountains in the Eastern Alps (Austria). The tectonic evolution of the basin is kinematically connected to Miocene brittle transpressive dextral strike-slip deformation along the Periadriatic Fault which separates the South Alpine unit from the Austro-Alpine unit in the Eastern Alps. The final NW-directed overthrust of the Karawanken Mountains onto the foreland is characterised by a positive flower structure, which is kinematically linked to dextral transpressive shearing along the Periadriatic Fault. Only a small part of the lithosphere appears to support the regional isostatic response to the load by the Karawanken Mountains. The area is characterised by a crustal thickness between 40 and 45 km, elevated heat flow and a strength distribution which suggests that only the upper crust elastically supports the topographic load. Ductile flow of the lower crust is also supported by the absence of a crustal root beneath the Karawanken chain. Rheologic models for this lithospheric configuration indicate a mechanical decoupling of upper crust, lower crust and mantle and generally low strengths for the lower crust and mantle.

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“…Independently, Meissner and Strehlau [1982] and Chen and Molnar [1983] suggested that reduced seismic activity of the lower crust indicates low ductile flow strength relative to the upper crust. However, mechanical data and flow law parameters on the rheology of rocks typical for the lower crust, i.e., gabbros, metabasites, etc., are still scarce [Caristan, 1982;Shelton and Tullis, 1981;Kirby, 1983;Carter and Tsenn, 1987;Mackwell et al, 1998]. The amount of stress transfer and partitioning of strain between crustal layers and the mantle has given rise to much controversy [e.g., Kirby, 1985; Ord and Hobbs, 1989].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%