The fabric attractor

The nature of fabric accumulation in high strain zones such as ductile shear zones depends on the nature and orientation of flow eigenvectors or apophyses. Some flow apophyses can act as 'attractors' of material lines or principal finite strain axes. This paper explains the nature of such attractors and discusses their significance and orientation in different monoclinic flow types. In ductile shear zones, strain values are high enough to show the effect of attractors in deformed rocks clearly. The concept of attractors can be used in deformation modelling, and can help in understanding the accumulation of deformation fabrics in homogeneous and inhomogeneous flow, e.g. around boudins, mantled porphyroclasts and sheath folds. (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.