Induced stresses and fault potential in eastern Canada due to a realistic load: a preliminary analysis

Abstract

In order to understand the causal relation between postglacial rebound and earthquakes, a realistic ice and water load model is used to (1) calculate stresses induced in the lithosphere and mantle by glacial loading, melting and postglacial rebound and (2) evaluate the effect of glacial loading/rebound on the failure potential for earthquakes in the upper crust. The dependence of both the failure potential and the actual mode of failure on the ambient tectonic stress magnitude, the overburden stress, and lithospheric properties are investigated. Prominent features of this analysis are the inclusion of (1) a viscoelastic mantle and thus the migration of stress, and (2) the ambient tectonic stress and overburden stress contributions in the calculation of the total stress field.