Abstract
The magnitude levels of intraplate stresses and the strength of intraplate lithosphere are critical for understanding the mechanisms of intraplate deformation. The decay of stress in the ductile lower lithosphere and its resulting amplification in the brittle upper lithosphere constitute an important mechanism for providing stress levels in the upper brittle lithosphere sufficient for fracture. Such stress transfer and the subsequent lithosphere deformation are controlled by lithosphere rheology. A model is examined here for the deformation of viscoelastic lithosphere, with temperature- and stress-dependent rheology, subjected to laterally applied stress for different lithosphere thermal structures. The geotherm is found to be of critical importance in determining the strength of the lithosphere and the extent of the resulting lithosphere deformation. For lithosphere with heat flow ⩾75 mW m−2, 0.25 kbar tensile stress is sufficient to cause geologically significant deformation, while for compressional deformation, either greater stress levels or a hotter lithosphere are necessary.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bullard, E. C., Everett, J. E. & Smith, A. G. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A258, 41–51 (1965).
Turcotte, D. L. & Oxburgh, E. R. Tectonophysics 35, 183–199 (1976).
Watts, A. B., Bodine, J. H. & Steckler, M. S. J. geophys. Res. 85, 6369–6376 (1980).
Lago, B. & Cazenave, A. Geophys. J.R. astr. Soc. 64, 785–800 (1981).
Stocker, R. L. & Ashby, M. F. Rev. Geophys. Space Phys. 11, 391–426 (1973).
Kohlstedt, D. L. & Geotze, C. J. geophys. Res. 79, 2045–2051 (1974).
Murrell, S. A. F. Tectonophysics 36, 5–24 (1976).
Chapman, D. S. & Pollack, H. N. Geology 5, 265–268 (1977).
Herrin, E. The Nature of the Solid Earth, 216–231 (ed. Robertson, E. C.) (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1972).
Kusznir, N. J. & Bott, M. H. P. Tectonophysics 43, 247–256 (1977).
Bott, M. H. P. & Kusznir, N. J. Geophys. J.R. astr. Soc. 56, 451–459 (1979).
Neugebauer, H. J. & Breitmayer, G. Geophys. J.R. astr. Soc. 43, 873–895 (1975).
Woodward, D. J. thesis, Univ. Durham (1975).
Murrell, S. A. F. & Chakravarty, S. Geophys. R. astr. Soc. 34, 211–250 (1973).
Jaeger, J. C. & Cook, N. G. W. Fundamentals of Rock Mechanics (Chapman and Hall, London, 1969).
Kusznir, N. J. Geophys. J.R. astr. Soc. 70, 399–414 (1982).
Heard, H. C. J. Geol. 71, 162–195 (1963).
Price, N. J. J. geol. Soc. Lond. 131, 553–575 (1975).
Wernicke, B. Nature 291, 645–648 (1981).
Baker, B. H. & Wohlenberg, J. Nature 229, 538–542 (1971).
McKenzie, D. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 40, 25–32 (1978).
Molnar, P. & Tapponnier, P. Science 189, 419–426 (1975).
Tapponnier, P. & Molnar, P. J. geophys. Res. 82, 2905–2930 (1977).
Bridwell, R. J. & Potzick, C. Tectonophysics 73, 15–32 (1981).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kusznir, N., Park, R. Intraplate lithosphere strength and heat flow. Nature 299, 540–542 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1038/299540a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/299540a0
- Springer Nature Limited
This article is cited by
-
Brittleness ductility transition depth of new fracture in the Baodi Miaozhuang Uplift
Applied Geophysics (2022)
-
Three-dimensional thermo-rheological structure of the lithosphere in the North China Craton determined by integrating multiple observations: Implications for the formation of rifts
Science China Earth Sciences (2020)
-
Volcanic passive margins: another way to break up continents
Scientific Reports (2015)
-
A thermo-mechanical model of continental lithosphere
Nature (1985)