Project Outline
This project is designed to investigate the dynamics of terrane accretion using sand as an anlog material. Many orogenic belts record evidence of the accretion of "exotic" lithostratigraphic units at some point in their evolution (ex. Appalachain Orogen, Canadian Cordillera, Himalyan Orogen). The state of strain in the accreting terrane and the overriding plate edge is of fundamental importance for understanding the process of accretion.

To goal of this project is to shed light on the processes involved during the accretion of an island arc terrane. The model is designed to investigate strain distributions before, during and after the accretion of the terrane.

Join me for a wild ride into an accretionary orogen......