Fault zone reactivation and structural inheritance in accretionary orogens

The strength and behaviour of the Earth’s crust is largely controlled by the presence and nature of plate boundaries—the boundaries that separate Earth’s jigsaw puzzle of tectonic plates. When movement occurs between two rigid crustal blocks, the resulting deformed zone that forms along the boundary is referred to as a deformation zone. Recent research has focused on the physical manifestation of deformation zones at depth, however, despite their key role in controlling crustal strength over long geologic timescales, how deformation zones evolve over time and space remains poorly understood. The purpose of this project is to analyze previously collected samples from two different deformation zones and reconstruct the tectonic histories of each one. This will be accomplished through a combination of novel analytical techniques, including geochronology (dating rocks) and microstructural analysis. This research will contribute significantly to our broader understanding of how deformation zones evolve by providing a general framework for the structural and temporal evolution of these systems. These results will have direct implications on our understanding of how the strength and behaviour of the Earth’s crust can vary over long timescales and will improve seismic risk assessments of modern-day plate boundaries that pose a potential seismic hazard.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dawn Kellett

Student:

Partner:

University of Portsmouth

Discipline:

Earth science

Sector:

Education

University:

Saint Mary's University

Program: