Global Strain Rate Map     This is the portal image that I created for the International Lithosphere Program's Global Strain Rate Map Project, the homepage of which, by the way, is hosted by the UNAVCO Boulder Facility. Black areas are considered to be rigid lithospheric plates, with boundary zones of deforming (i.e. straining) lithosphere. Low strain rates are in blue, like in the southern portion of the African rift area, increasing to red and magenta, like in the mid-ocean spreading zone between Antarctica and Australia. (This image is based on the 2004 GSRM version 1.2.) Technically, what is being shown here in color is the "second invariant of the strain rate tensor", which is just a fancy way of saying it's showing the general magnitude of strain rate (tensor). But there are a whole lot more details that can be shown, so go explore the GSRM in depth!

Comments, questions, problems about Jules Verne Voyager? Send mail to Lou Estey
(louunavco.org)