[1] Convergent margins where the angle of subduction is oblique will often result in the partitioning of strain into an arc parallel component (accommodated by strike slip faults or shear zones) and an arc normal component (accommodated through thrust faults).
[6][7][8] The Himalaya is a strain partitioned orogen which resulted from the oblique convergence between India and Asia.
The lateral variability in velocity between the central and marginal regions of the orogen suggest strain is partitioned due to oblique convergence.
[3][10][11] Strain may be partitioned by the development of a strike slip fault or shear zone across the actively deforming region.
At the grain and crystal scale, strain partitioning may occur between minerals (or clasts and matrix) governed by their rheological contrasts.
[14][16] Performing such a procedure is important for structural and tectonic analysis as it provides parameters and constraints for constructing deformation models.
Block diagram illustrating strain partitioning at an oblique
convergent margin
. The obliquity of plate convergence (blue arrows) induces stress components that are normal to the margin (yellow arrow) and parallel to the margin (green arrow). Elevated magnitudes of the arc parallel component induces horizontal translation (red arrows) between the wedge and the backstop. Adapted and modified from Platt, 1993.
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6
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Block diagram illustrating the difference between homogeneous and partitioned strain within transpressive and transtensive tectonic regimes. The partitioning of strain occurs through the development of a strike slip or shear zone (shown with red arrows) across the actively deforming region (brown). Adaptation and modification from (Teyssier et al., 1995;
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10
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Fossen, 2012;
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3
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Jones and Tanner, 1995;
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1
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Sanderson and Marchini, 1984
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)
Conceptual illustration of strain factorization. This highlights how the order of superposition of pure and simple shear components produce differing geometries, as matrix multiplication is non-commutative. Adaptation and modifications from Ramsay and Huber, 1983;
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14
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Ramsay and Huber, 1987
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15
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Simplistic illustration of different deformation mechanisms which produce the finite strain. Citation for different types of deformation mechanisms acquired from (Passchier and Trouw, 2005)
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19
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