Deformation of a Half-Space from Anelastic Strain Confined in a Tetrahedral Volume

TL;DR

This paper presents analytical solutions for displacements and stresses in a half-space caused by anelastic strain within a tetrahedral volume, aiding realistic structural modeling in geophysics.

Contribution

It introduces new solutions for deformation in a half-space due to anelastic strain confined in tetrahedral volumes, facilitating adaptive meshing in geophysical models.

Findings

Provides computer programs for various strain cases.

Enables modeling of deformation in complex geological settings.

Supports applications in tectonics, volcanology, and hydrology.

Abstract

Deformation in the lithosphere-asthenosphere system can be accommodated by faulting and plastic flow. However, incorporating structural data in models of distributed deformation still represents a challenge. Here, I present solutions for the displacements and stress in a half-space caused by distributed anelastic strain confined in a tetrahedral volume. These solutions form the basis of curvilinear meshes that can adapt to realistic structural settings, such as a mantle wedge corner, a spherical shell around a magma chamber, or an aquifer. I provide computer programs to evaluate them in the cases of anti-plane strain, in-plane strain, and three-dimensional deformation. These tools may prove useful in the modeling of deformation data in tectonics, volcanology, and hydrology.