A simple, rheological model for plate motion to explain episodic volcanism and tectonism: An application of whitehead and gans' fault model |
| |
| Authors: | Keisuke Ito |
| |
| Institution: | Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe 657 Japan |
| |
| Abstract: | A simple, rheological model is presented for plate motions to explain episodic volcanism and tectonism. A lithospheric plate is modelled by a gliding block and the basal edge of the sinking plate is modelled by a stick-slip-like fault system. The friction force is assumed to have a maximum at a critical sliding velocity. When the sliding velocity at the basalt edge exceeds the critical velocity, the basal edge system becomes unstable and the plate accelerates. Conditions that the model system has a periodic solution are obtained and parameters of the system are evaluated from rheological properties of the mantle and configurations of the plate. Results suggest that a plate moves nearly steadily over a long period of time but it accelerates sharply during a very short period of time. The accelerating period is considered to correspond to the episodes of active volcanism and tectonism. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
| 本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录！ |
|
