Statistical trends in the intraplate stress field

The World Stress Map (WSM) database contains thousands of intraplate stress indicators, with the potential to provide important constraint for arguments about the relationship between tectonic stresses and both the kinematics and dynamics of plate motion. The study presents a statistical analysis of the WSM stress indicators with the aim of quantifying trends in both the S_Hmax orientations and stress regimes. The results indicate that broad regions of uniform S_Hmax orientations exist in most continental regions at high confidence levels and are less robust in the slowest moving continental plates. The predominance of strike-slip and compressional stress regimes in continental regions is quantified. -from Authors