This probably explains the anomalous regional stress pattern where the principal compressive stresses are horizontal and oriented at large angles to the present-day absolute plate velocity vector. Crustal stress model. A crustal section with a topographic high. Principal stress vectors at two locations within the modelled section for three models. H gives the amplitude of topographic high of the model.
Red colour indicates tensile stress and blue indicates compressive stress.
Displacement vectors for the crustal stress models with a denser central block. R gives the density contrast of the model. Red colour indicates tensile stress and blue indicates compressive stress.