NATURE OF TECTONIC FORCES

Abstract

An experiment has been carried out which demonstrates the mechanism of displacement of blocks in the crust during the propagation of seismic waves. In the crust, with its block structure, there are always some blocks that are coupled to the surrounding bodies only by frictional forces. Seismic waves can set these 'free' blocks in motion, displacing them relative to the others, and thus can change the interactions among the blocks and the structure of the nonuniform stress field. The proposed mechanism of conversion of fluctuations into the translational motion of large bodies occurs only in a medium with block structure. It is tempting to associate the existence of block structure of the crust in certain regions with the ability of the crust there to utilize solar radiation (via the intermediary of the cyclonic activity in the atmosphere above the oceans) for deformation of the solid earth and replenishment of the driving potential of the earth.