INTRAPLATE STRESSES IN SOUTH AMERICA BASED ON EARTHQUAKE FOCAL MECHANISMS

Directions of the maximum horizontal stress (SHmax) for South America are presented based on a compilation of focal mechanisms of intraplate earthquakes. A rather uniform, regional stress field seemS to be present in most of the Andes and Sub-Andes. The orientation of this SHmax field is slightly better aligned with the South America absolute motion rather than the Nazca-South America convergence.