Deformation of a half‐space from anelastic strain confined in a tetrahedral volume

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 antiplane strain, inplane strain, and 3D deformation. These tools may prove useful in the modeling of deformation data in tectonics, volcanology, and hydrology.