Oral Presentation

For many decades, continental regions of active crustal stretching have provided insights into the evolution of tectonic plate divergence, crustal thinning, and the associated geodynamic processes. However, little is known about how space-time strain accommodation in extensional settings modulate earthquake processes. In evolving extensional settings, the mantle-rooting principal plate boundary fault(s), referred to as ‘border fault(s)’, accommodate a significant portion of the tectonic strain budget and thus, represent major long-term earthquake hazards. In my talk, I will present exciting new results from the research efforts of my group and many collaborators that are revealing how the interplay between long-term fault kinematics, and cycles of seismic damage and fluid-rock interactions modulate the structural and rheological evolution of border fault zones. Furthermore, I will show how the emergent fault zone structure and rheology implicate strain migration patterns and the seismic versus aseismic modes of strain release.