Lyell Collection
Geological Society, London, Special Publications
Lyell Centre  |   Lyell Collection  |   Subscriptions   |   Geological Society  |   Email alerts  |   Online bookshop  |   Help

Keywords:
Author:
Advanced search>>
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Request Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Cruden, A. R.
Right arrow Articles by Pysklywec, R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
GeoRef
Right arrow GeoRef Citation
Geological Society, London, Special Publications; 2006; v. 253; p. 79-104;
DOI: 10.1144/GSL.SP.2006.253.01.04
© 2006 Geological Society of London

Models of Orogenic Processes

Surface topography and internal strain variation in wide hot orogens from three-dimensional analogue and two-dimensional numerical vice models

Alexander R. Cruden, Mohammad H. B. Nasseri & Russell Pysklywec

Department of Geology, University of Toronto, 22 Russell Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3B1, Canada

The post-accretionary deformation of wide, hot orogens is characterized by pure-shear or transpressional shortening of relatively weak lithosphere (the orogen) between converging stronger blocks (the vice). We report on a series of analogue vice models and compare the resulting three-dimensional strain fields and surface topographies to equivalent two-dimensional numerical experiments. In the analogue models a rheologically stratified (frictional/viscous) weak orogenic lithosphere overlying a viscous asthenosphere is squeezed between converging strong lithospheric blocks. Ductile lower crust and mantle in the weak lithosphere is free to flow laterally, parallel to the orogen. The Argand number describes the model dynamics and strongly controls both the orogenic relief and the degree of lower crustal orogen parallel stretching in the analogue models. Cross sections of numerical and analogue experiments display consistent geometries in which upper crustal deformation is characterized by upright folding compared to apparently decoupled horizontal strains in the lower crust. The relative buoyancy and degree of orogen parallel flow in the lower crust of the analogue models has a dramatic influence on three-dimensional strain fields and the kinematics of upper crustal curvilinear shear zones. The analogue and numerical results demonstrate the importance of three-dimensional effects in determining the structure of natural orogens and compare favourably to field and geophysical observations of large hot orogens in the geological record.





This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Geological Society, London, Special PublicationsHome page
G. Schreurs, S. J. H. Buiter, D. Boutelier, G. Corti, E. Costa, A. R. Cruden, J.-M. Daniel, S. Hoth, H. A. Koyi, N. Kukowski, et al.
Analogue benchmarks of shortening and extension experiments
Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 2006; 253: 1 - 27.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Geological Society, London, Special PublicationsHome page
S. J. H. Buiter, A. Yu. Babeyko, S. Ellis, T. V. Gerya, B. J. P. Kaus, A. Kellner, G. Schreurs, and Y. Yamada
The numerical sandbox: comparison of model results for a shortening and an extension experiment
Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 2006; 253: 29 - 64.
[Abstract] [PDF]