9628074 Kong Recent studies have indicated that large changes occur in strain distribution or partitioning and strain accommodation during the evolution of a collisional event. This project will attempt to model dynamic causes for major spatial and temporal changes in strain distribution and initiation of major intracontinental faults in Asia during Indo-Asian collision. In order to evaluate the role of various input factors, the work will use a newly developed finite element technique to simulate both the evolution of major fault systems and related deformation within major continental blocks. Faults will be sequentially introduced into the model according to their ages determined by recent geochronologic studies. The resultant systematic restoration of both distributed deformation and discrete fault movement will allow a rigorous evaluation of dynamic causes for the changes in tectonic styles and strain distribution in Asia during the Indo-Asian collision.
