Empirical paths of poles to planes (eppps) constrain the kinematics of geological shear zones

Ductile shear zones are tabular bodies of deformed rocks bound by less deformed wall rocks. This work introduces a simple empirical approach to analysing the 3D kinematics of shear zones. The orientations of pre-shear planar markers distorted across natural shear zones by local strains are systematically measured and plotted as poles on lower hemisphere equal area projections that constrain smooth empirical paths of poles to planes (eppps). Such eppps recording local strain gradients are used to fix a reference frame to the plane of greatest shear in any homogeneous bulk strain. Assuming that space can be taken as a proxy for time, the curvatures of pre-shear planar markers across shear zones are interpreted as the records of the 3D bulk strain histories of shear zones. The sig- or zig-moidal symmetries of sheared markers record different amounts of the same general strain within the same overall movement pattern (i.e. in a constant flow field) whatever its geometry or history. In effect eppps represent the strain memories of shear zones with successively inward readings recording successively younger shearing. In planes other than the bulk XY, great circle eppps indicate simple shear while hyperbolic eppps indicate pure shear. Eppps for suites of shear zones in Proterozoic gneisses in Sweden exhibit the parabolic shapes indicative of pure rather than simple shear.