State of stress in the lithosphere: Inferences from the flow laws of olivine
Pure and Applied Geophysics PAGEOPH
By: S. H. Kirby
Links
- More information: Publisher Index Page (via DOI)
- Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core
Abstract
The experimental flow data for rocks and minerals are reviewed and found to fit a law of the form {Mathematical expression} where {Mathematical expression} This law reduces to the familiar power-law stress dependency at low stress and to an exponential stress dependency at high stress. Using the material flow law parameters for olivine, stress profiles with depth and strain rate are computed for a representative range of temperature distributions in the lithosphere. The results show that the upper 15 to 25 km of the oceanic lithosphere must behave elastically or fail by fracture and that the remainder deforms by exponential law flow at intermediate depths and by power-law flow in the rest. A model computation of the gravitational sliding of a lithospheric plate using olivine rheology exhibits a very sharp decoupling zone which is a consequence of the combined effects of increasing stress and temperature on the flow law, which is a very sensitive function of both. ?? 1977 Birkha??user Verlag.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | State of stress in the lithosphere: Inferences from the flow laws of olivine |
| Series title | Pure and Applied Geophysics PAGEOPH |
| DOI | 10.1007/BF01637106 |
| Volume | 115 |
| Issue | 1-2 |
| Year Published | 1977 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Birkha??user-Verlag |
| Larger Work Type | Article |
| Larger Work Subtype | Journal Article |
| Larger Work Title | Pure and Applied Geophysics PAGEOPH |
| First page | 245 |
| Last page | 258 |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |