Gordon, Richard G.2009-06-032009-06-032007Kumar, Ravi Ranjan. "Horizontal thermal contractional strain of oceanic lithosphere: The ultimate limit to the rigid plate hypothesis." (2007) Master’s Thesis, Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/20517">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/20517</a>.https://hdl.handle.net/1911/20517Depth-averaged horizontal strain rates in oceanic lithosphere due to thermal contraction are determined. Calculated strain rates range from &ap;10 -2 Myr-1 (near the mid-ocean ridge) to &ap;10 -5 Myr-1 (for the oldest oceanic lithosphere). The average thermal contractional strain rate in oceanic lithosphere is &ap;10 -4 Myr-1. Newly created lithosphere is displaced toward old ocean basins at a rate that is 1.35% of the half-rate of seafloor spreading, giving displacement rates of 0.1 to 1.1 km Myr-1. The bias in plate displacement rates estimated from marine magnetic anomalies, expressed as a percentage of the full spreading rate, is 0.60% or 0.85% depending on the age of the magnetic isochron used to estimate current plate velocity. The displacement rate due to thermal contraction parallel to a mid-ocean ridge could be as large as &ap;10 mm/yr. Strain rates due to thermo-elastic stresses are an order of magnitude smaller than the strain rate calculated when these stresses are neglected.69 p.application/pdfengCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.GeophysicsThesisTHESIS GEOL. 2007 KUMAR