Abstract: An understanding of orientation of contemporary maximum horizontal compressive stress (ï³Hmax) is important to many aspects of earth sciences, e.g. seismicity, neotectonics, and plate driving mechanisms. Comparison of recent stress observations and the results of stress modeling provide a powerful approach to refine our understanding of geodynamics processes. This is especially important for complex area like Himalayan-Tibet orogen, a continental collision zone between the Indian and Eurasian Plates. The frequently occurring earthquakes and other tectonic stress indicator have provided vast set of database on maximum horizontal compressive stress (ï³Hmax) that can be useful to study contemporary stress sources, plate kinematics and ongoing geodynamics. In this contribution, taking advantage of elastic plane stress finite element modeling (FEM), and observed data on ï³Hmax, several models are presented to reproduce stress field. Simulated models show that the convergence normal to the orogen is essential to reproduce observed ï³Hmax, which in turn controls the magnitude and orientation of ï³Hmax. The kinematics equivalent to east-west tectonic escape did not reproduce the observed stress field. Therefore, the best-fit model of present day stress field is obtained only in three domains model with southeastward tectonic escape of the Tibetan crust rather than eastward extrusion. There is, however, significant increase in ï³Hmax magnitude with increasing crustal depth because of stress amplification. Incorporation of suture zones in the model did not change orientation of ï³Hmax significantly. Considering these facts, âcontinuum tectonic modelâ is more preferable than the âblock tectonic modelâ for the active deformation of the Tibetan Plateau. Contemporary stress field deduced from several tectonic stress markers reconciles with the predicted one giving insights on their sources and ongoing plate kinematics of the continental collision zone between Indian and Eurasian Plates.
