Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 9, 2026

Kinematic History of a Salient-recess Junction Explored through a Combined Approach of Field Data and Analog Sandbox Modeling
Published on: August 5, 2016
Mapping tectonic deformation in the crust and upper mantle beneath Europe and the North Atlantic Ocean
1Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA. hejunzhu@princeton.edu
Abstract:
We constructed a three-dimensional azimuthally anisotropic model of Europe and the North Atlantic Ocean based on adjoint seismic tomography. Several features are well correlated with historical tectonic events in this region, such as extension along the North Atlantic Ridge, trench retreat in the Mediterranean, and counterclockwise rotation of the Anatolian Plate. Beneath northeastern Europe, the direction of the fast anisotropic axis follows trends of ancient rift systems older than 350 million years, suggesting "frozen-in" anisotropy related to the formation of the craton. Local anisotropic strength profiles identify the brittle-ductile transitions in lithospheric strength. In continental regions, these profiles also identify the lower crust, characterized by ductile flow. The observed anisotropic fabric is generally consistent with the current surface strain rate measured by geodetic surveys.
Related Concept Videos
Temperature Dependent Deformation
Deformations in a Transverse Cross Section
As the material stretches, it expands or contracts in orthogonal directions to the load. This phenomenon varies...
Relation between Poisson's ratio, Modulus of Elasticity and Modulus of Rigidity
Deformation of Member under Multiple Loadings
In the case of a member with a variable cross-section, the strain is not constant but depends on the position. The deformation of an...
Magnetostatic Boundary Conditions
Plastic Deformations of Members with a Single Plane of Symmetry

