Plate motion and deformation
Our goal is to understand the motions of the plates, the deformation along their boundaries and within their interiors, and the processes that control these tectonic phenomena. In the broadest terms, we must strive to understand the relationships of regional and local deformation to flow in the upper mantle and the rheological, thermal and density structure of the lithosphere. The essential data sets which we require to reach our goal consist of maps of current strain rates at the earth's surface and the distribution of integrated deformation through time as recorded in the geologic record. Our success will depend on the effective synthesis of crustal kinematics with a variety of other geological and geophysical data, within a quantitative theoretical framework describing processes in the earth's interior. Only in this way can we relate the snapshot of current motions and earth structure provided by geodetic and geophysical data with long-term processes operating on the time scales relevant to most geological processes. The wide-spread use of space-based techniques, coupled with traditional geological and geophysical data, promises a revolution in our understanding of the kinematics and dynamics of plate motions over a broad range of spatial and temporal scales and in a variety of geologic settings. The space-based techniques that best address problems in plate motion and deformation are precise space-geodetic positioning -- on land and on the seafloor -- and satellite acquisition of detailed altimetric and remote sensing data in oceanic and continental areas. The overall science objectives for the NASA Solid Earth Science plan for the 1990's, are to Understand the motion and deformation of the lithosphere within and across plate boundaries'', and to understand the dynamics of the mantle, the structure and evolution of the lithosphere, and the landforms that result from local and regional deformation. 57 refs., 7 figs., 2 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 5920133
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-JC-106677; CONF-8907240-1; ON: DE91010466
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Conference on future of the NASA geodynamics program, Coolfront, WV (USA), 22-28 Jul 1989
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
GROUND MOTION
PLATE TECTONICS
MEETINGS
AERIAL SURVEYING
DATA ANALYSIS
DEFORMATION
DYNAMICS
EARTH CRUST
GEODESY
GEODETIC SURVEYS
GRAVITY SURVEYS
NASA
SATELLITES
TOPOGRAPHY
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
MECHANICS
MOTION
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
SURVEYS
TECTONICS
US ORGANIZATIONS
580000* - Geosciences