ON VERTICAL TRANSFORM FAULT IN CONTINENTAL LITHOSPHERE

In recent years,a new type of fault that cuts nearly vertically through the entire crust into the mantle is known from geophysical investigations and is named vertical transform fault by the authors.At first,they were recognized only in the lithosphere of High Asia including Tibetan Plateau,and subsequently found in Siberia and Low Asia.They are formed simultaneously with crustal thickening,Moho movement,some moutain-uplifting and basin sinking.The recognition of these faults is of significance in understanding the continental lithosphere and deep dynamics of the Earth.