Plate tectonics cause rock deformation and the structures that form heat up and metamorphose and melt the rocks forming igneous rocks such as basalts and rhyolites. The magmatic and metamorphic rocks close the rock cycle when they are eroded to form sediments that will be deposited and eventually buried to large depths by plate tectonics

Plate tectonics cause rock deformation and the structures that form heat up and melt the rocks forming igneous rocks such as basalts and rhyolites. The magmas cause contact metamorphism closing the rock cycle when these are eroded to form sediments. The mountains are eroded generating new sediments that will be deposited and eventually buried to large depths by plate tectonics

Structures develop in response to plate tectonics. Rocks pile up by thrusting and folding creating mountains. The buried rocks are metamorphosed and melt to form igneous rocks. The mountains are eroded generating new sediments that will be deposited and eventually buried to large depths by plate tectonics

Structures develop in response to the rock cycle where thrusting and folding create mountains. The buried rocks are metamorphosed and melt to form igneous rocks. The mountains are eroded generating new sediments that will be deposited and eventually buried to large depths by plate tectonics

The Amazon river catchment erodes the Andes and transport large volumes of sediments which are deposited on the Atlantic ocean floor. The sediments decrease friction when they subduct under the Caribbean plate causing a general uplift of the accretionary prism due to low-angle subduction

Barbados is in the back-arc of the West Indies volcanic arc and is above sea-level because of compression generated by ocean-ocean subduction

Barbados is in the fore-arc of the West Indies volcanic arc and is above sea-level because of extension generated by ocean-ocean subduction

The Amazon river catchment erodes the Andes and transport large volumes of sediments which are deposited on the Atlantic ocean floor. These sediments are scraped off when the Atlantic ocean floor subducts under the Caribbean plate forming an unusually thick accretionary prism that forms the island

Barbados is one of the volcanic islands of the West Indies arc and is above sea-level because of volcanism generated by ocean-ocean subduction

The velocity of a subducting oceanic slab may vary with time. When it slows down, the overriding plate rolls back and causes the curvature observed. This process can be associated with thrust faults

Some sections of a subducting oceanic slab may be denser than other sections. Where this happens, subduction is slower and at a lower angle causing slower rollback and the curvature observed. This process can be associated with normal faults like in the Caribbean plate

Some sections of a subducting oceanic slab may be denser than others. Where this happens, subduction is faster and steeper causing faster rollback and the curvature observed. This process can be associated with normal faults like in the Caribbean plate

Some sections of a subducting oceanic slab may be denser than others. Where this happens, subduction is slower and at a lower angle causing slower rollback and the curvature observed. This process can lead to development of transform faults like in the Caribbean plate

Some sections of a subducting oceanic slab may be denser than other sections. Where this happens, subduction is faster and steeper causing faster rollback and the curvature observed. This process can lead to development of transform faults like in the Caribbean plate

The hinge of the subduction zone is not fixed: rollback is when the subduction zone rolls over the overriding plate causing shortening

The hinge of the subduction zone is not fixed: rollback is the retreat of the slab away from the subduction zone due to the sinking, and this causes shortening in the overriding plate when the advance of the overriding plate is slower than roll back

The hinge of the subduction zone is not fixed: rollback is the retreat of the slab away from the subduction zone due to the sinking, and this always causes extension in the overriding plate

The hinge of the subduction zone is fixed in space: rollback is forced by the retreat of the subducting plate when the advance of the overriding plate is slow

The hinge of the subduction zone is not fixed: rollback is the retreat of the slab away from the subduction zone due to the sinking, and this causes extension in the overriding plate when the advance of the overriding plate is slower than roll back

Stress equals plate tectonic force; kilobar (kb) and megaPascal (MPa) where 1 kbar = 100 MPa

Stress equals plate tectonic force; kilojoules (kJ) and kiloWatts (kW) where 1 kJ = 100 kW

Stress is force per unit area, a definition of pressure; kilobar (kb) and megaPascal (MPa) where 1 kbar = 100 MPa

Stress is force per unit volume, a definition of megapressure; kilobar (kb) and megaPascal (MPa) where 1 kbar = 100 MPa

Stress is the same as deformation of rocks and is dimensionless (no units)

Close to the surface rocks fault in response to applied stresses because of the high strain rates. Deeper in the crust, as the strain rate decreases, the rocks flow and instead of fracturing they develop ductile shear zones

Close to the surface rocks fault because rock composition controls its response. Deeper in the crust, rock composition changes becoming more mafic and such rocks respond in a ductile fashion. The case shown in the figure has dextral movement

Close to the surface rocks fault because the composition of rocks in shallow crust are more prone to fracturing. Deeper in the crust, rock composition changes becoming more mafic and such rocks respond in a ductile fashion. The case shown in the figure has sinistral movement

Close to the surface rocks fault forming a sharp plane that allows for lateral displacement. Deeper in the crust, as the temperature and pressure increase, the rocks flow and instead of fracturing they develop ductile shear zones. The case shown in the figure has dextral movement

Close to the surface rocks fault in response to applied stresses because of the low temperature and low pressure. Deeper in the crust, as the temperature and pressure increase, the rocks flow and instead of fracturing they develop ductile shear zones. The case in the figure has sinistral movement.

It is the pressure of the overlying rock and is equal to density of rock (kg.m^-3) x depth (m) x gravity (m.s^-2). Therefore, it increases with depth and it increases where rocks are denser like in the mantle. It is not responsible for rock deformation but it is responsible for metamorphism.

It is the pressure of the overlying rock and is equal to density of rock (kg.m^-3) x depth (m) x gravity (m.s^-2). Therefore, it increases with depth and it increases where rocks are denser like in the mantle. It is not responsible for rock deformation nor metamorphism.

It is the pressure of the overlying rock and is equal to density of rock (kg.m^-3) x depth (m) x gravity (m.s^-2). It decreases with depth and that is why rocks become ductile deeper in the crust.

It is the pressure of the overlying rock and is equal to density of rock (kg.m^-3) x depth (m) x gravity (m.s^-2). It decreases with depth and that is why rocks become brittle deeper in the crust.

It is the pressure of the overlying rock and is equal to density of rock (kg.m^-3) x depth (m) x gravity (m.s^-2). Therefore, it increases with depth and it increases when rocks are denser like in the mantle. It is responsible for rock deformation and metamorphism.

the arrows represent stress axes that form a stress ellipsoid with the maximum compressive axis (sigma 1) indicative of horizontal tectonic shortening characteristic of regions of crustal shortening and mountain building associated with thrusts.

the arrows represent strain axes that form a strain ellipsoid with the maximum extension axis (sigma 1) indicative of horizontal tectonic extension characteristic of regions of crustal thinning and rifting.

the arrows represent stress axes that form a stress ellipsoid with the minimum compressive axis (sigma 1) indicative of horizontal tectonic extension characteristic of regions of crustal thinning and rifting.

the arrows represent strain axes that form a strain ellipsoid with the maximum shortening axis (sigma 1) indicative of horizontal tectonic shortening characteristic of regions of crustal shortening and mountain building associated with thrusts

the arrows represent stress axes with the maximum compressive axis (sigma 3) indicative of vertical tectonic shortening characteristic of regions of crustal shortening and mountain building associated with thrusts.

a bifurcated pair of reverse faults

a bifurcated pair of normal faults

a conjugate pair of reverse faults

a conjugate pair of normal faults

a negative flower structure that forms in fault jogs

A normal fault

A strike slip fault

A dip fault

A reverse fault

An anticlinal fault