Melosh, H. J. (1976) Nonlinear stress propagation in the Earth's upper mantle. Journal of Geophysical Research, 81 (32). pp. 5621-5632. ISSN 0148-0227. doi:10.1029/JB081i032p05621. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20160428-154606841
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Abstract
This paper consists of two parts. The first is theoretical and extends Elsasser's theory of stress propagation in the upper mantle to an asthenosphere with nonlinear rheology. Exact solutions of the nonlinear equations are found for two geologically important problems. The second part uses these theoretical results as the basis for a measurement of the rheology of the asthenosphere. The seaward migration pattern of aftershocks from the February 4, 1965, Rat Island earthquake is analyzed, and strong evidence for a non-Newtonian stress-strain relation in the asthenosphere is presented. It is found that an individual large earthquake can influence the regional stress pattern only to a distance of about 300 km perpendicular to the line of rupture. Excellent agreement is found between the stress propagation coefficient calculated from the aftershock migration pattern and that calculated from laboratory measurements of high-temperature creep in olivine. We thus arrive at a picture of stress propagation in the upper mantle which is consistent both with theoretical expectation and with observational evidence.
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| Additional Information: | © 1976 American Geophysical Union. Received July 3, 1975; revised June 16, 1976; accepted June 17, 1976. I would like to thank Hiroo Kanamori for his aid in the selection of the Rat Island earthquake and his willingness to listen to my half-formed ideas. Gordon Stewart also aided me in collecting aftershock data. Contribution 2638 of the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125. | |||||||||
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| Issue or Number: | 32 | |||||||||
| DOI: | 10.1029/JB081i032p05621 | |||||||||
| Record Number: | CaltechAUTHORS:20160428-154606841 | |||||||||
| Persistent URL: | https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20160428-154606841 | |||||||||
| Official Citation: | Melosh, H. J. (1976), Nonlinear stress propagation in the Earth's upper mantle, J. Geophys. Res., 81(32), 5621–5632, doi:10.1029/JB081i032p05621 | |||||||||
| Usage Policy: | No commercial reproduction, distribution, display or performance rights in this work are provided. | |||||||||
| ID Code: | 66531 | |||||||||
| Collection: | CaltechAUTHORS | |||||||||
| Deposited By: | Tony Diaz | |||||||||
| Deposited On: | 04 May 2016 20:55 | |||||||||
| Last Modified: | 10 Nov 2021 23:59 |
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