Lithospheric Tectonics of a Transpressional Plate Boundary Fiordland, New Zealand

9725187 Furlong Transpressional plate boundaries are zones of complicated crustal deformation. Many transpressional boundaries show partitioning of strain into concurrent convergent and relatively pure strike-slip deformation. While this strain partitioning is well documented in the crust of some areas, the way in which the lower crust and mantle deform is not well known. This collaborative study by Furlong at Penn State and Anderson at IGNS/Otago, New Zealand, will address this general question using the Fiordland area of SW New Zealand as a testing area. The specific problems that will be posed arc 1) how do the Pacific and Australian lithospheric accommodate shortening, and to what extent are the crust and mantel mechanically coupled? The approach will be two-fold. Furlong will undertake detailed modeling of the thermal, rheological, and deformational evolution of the area, and Anderson will undertake a seismological analysis of the area. The result of the analysis will reveal to what extent the crust and mantles are mechanically linked at this local, but they will also provide a critical context in which to generalize to other areas.