Reproducing the velocity and stress fields in the Aegean region

Recent satellite geodetic measurements help to clearly define the velocity field in the Aegean-Anatolian area. The velocity field can be broadly characterized by anticlockwise rotation of this region relative to Eurasia, around a pole located at Lat. 32.73, Long. 32.03, north of the Egyptian shoreline. Studies of the fault kinematics in the region also provide information on the time evolution of the stress field. In this work, we model deformation in the Aegean-Anatolian region to better understand the tectonic origin of the observed stress and velocity fields. We found that the observed deformation pattern can be well reproduced by imposing simple boundary conditions including: (1) northward displacement of the Arabian plate, (2) locking of eastward motion in northwestern Greece and (3) suction force at the Hellenic trench. The observed variation in the stress field occurred at 0.9 Ma can be partially explained by a change in the activity of the North Anatolian fault. Copyright 1997 by the American Geophysical Union.