Faults and their deeper level equivalents, shear zones, arelocalized regions of intense deformation within the Earth. Theyare recognized at all scales from micro to plate boundary, andare important examples of the nature of heterogeneous deformationin natural rocks. Faults and shear zones are significant asthey profoundly influence the location, architecture and evolutionof a broad range of geological phenomenao The topography andbathymetry of the Earth’s surface is marked by mountainbelts and sedimentary basins that are controlled by faults andshear zoneso In addition, faults and shear zones control fluidmigration and transport including hydrothermal and hydrocarbonsystems. Once faults and shear zones are established, they areoften long-lived features prone to multiple reactivation oververy large time-scales. This collection of papers addresseslithospheric deformation and the rheology of shear zones, togetherwith processes of partitioning and the unravelling of faultand shear zone histories.
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