Abstract In transform margins, oblique structural inheritance and plate motion vector changes have a direct impact on the margin's morphology and duration of transform activity. We investigate the effect of these two factors using numerical modelling. To simulate oblique inheritance in continental lithosphere, we model an initial rift-transform-rift configuration oriented at a range of angles (−45o to +45o) with respect to the extension direction. In a second suite of calculations, we first extend a rift-transform-rift system orthogonally and then vary the extension direction to simulate rotation of the far-field stress directions, and hence the relative plate motion. We found that transpressional deformation on the transform results in increased duration of fault activity and diffuse, longer transform zones at higher angles, while the opposite is true for the transtensional case. These observations are in good agreement with natural examples such as the Ungava Transform Zone, the Gulf of California and the Gulf of Aden, indicating that relative plate rotation plays an important role in the structural evolution of transform margins. Finally, we present a metric that links current transform margin morphology to past evolution.

中文翻译：

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倾斜继承和相对板块运动变化对裂谷变换系统发展的影响

摘要 在变换边缘，斜向结构继承和板块运动矢量变化对边缘的形态和变换活动的持续时间有直接影响。我们使用数值建模来研究这两个因素的影响。为了模拟大陆岩石圈中的倾斜继承，我们模拟了一个初始的裂谷转换裂谷构造，该构造相对于延伸方向以一系列角度（-45o 到 +45o）定向。在第二套计算中，我们首先正交扩展裂谷变换裂谷系统，然后改变扩展方向以模拟远场应力方向的旋转，从而模拟相对板块运动。我们发现变换上的挤压变形导致断层活动持续时间增加，并且在更高角度下扩散、更长的变换带，而在张力情况下则相反。这些观察结果与 Ungava 转换带、加利福尼亚湾和亚丁湾等自然实例非常吻合，表明相对板块旋转在转换边缘的结构演化中起着重要作用。最后，我们提出了一个指标，将当前的变换边缘形态与过去的演变联系起来。