Abstract
Zagros Orogeny System resulted due to collision of the Arabian with
Eurasia. The region has the ocean-continent subduction and
continent-continent collision; and convergence velocity shows variation
from east to west. Therefore, this region shows the complex tectonic
stress and a wide range of diffuse or localized deformation between both
plates. The in-situ stress and GPS data are very limited in this region,
therefore, we performed a numerical simulation of the stresses causing
deformation in the Zagros-Iran region. The deviatoric stresses resulting
from the variations in lithospheric density and thickness; and those
from shear tractions at the base of lithosphere due to mantle convection
were computed using thin-sheet approximation. Surface observations of
strain rates, SHmax, plate velocities etc. are explained using the joint
models of lithosphere and mantle, suggesting a good coupling between
lithosphere and mantle in most parts of Zagros and Iran. However, the
deformation in east of Iran is caused primarily by lithospheric
stresses. Plate motion of Arabian plate is found to vary along the
Zagros belt from north-northeast in south-east of Zagros, north in
central Zagros to slight northwest in northwestern Zagros. The output of
this study can be used in seismic hazards estimations.