Abstract
A simple analogy is made between the tectonics of Asia and deformation in a rigidly indented rigid–plastic solid. India is analogous to the indenter and the great strike-slip faults correspond to slip lines. For various indentation geometries, the sense and linearity (or curvature) of strike-slip faults, convergence at the Burma arc and the existence of the Himalayan Burman Syntax, the conjugate strike-slip faults in Mongolia and the extension at the Baikal and Shansi graben can be predicted. Given the horizontal force necessary to support Tibet, an average shear stress of a few to several hundred bars along faults in Asia is predicted, corresponding to the yield stress of rigid–plastic material.
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Tapponnier, P., Molnar, P. Slip-line field theory and large-scale continental tectonics. Nature 264, 319–324 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1038/264319a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/264319a0
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