The Earthʹs decelerated rotation and regularities in orientation of its surface lineaments and faults

The Earthʹs crust faults and lineaments group in clusters with predominant N–S and E–W (System I) and NW–SE and NE–SW (System II) directions. The earthquake epicenters of the Benioff seismofocal zones follow the same regularities. In other words, seismofocal zones (epicenters of earthquakes) constitute a part of the regular network of the Earthʹs crust and lithosphere faults and lineaments. Mathematical modeling of stress distribution in the lithosphere due to a change of the Earthʹs ellipsoid compression showed that the principal stresses σ 1 and σ 2 are oriented in N–S and E–W directions, while corresponding shear stresses τ are oriented in NE–SW and NW–SE directions. It is shown that the secular deceleration of the Earthʹs rotation can be a reasonable mechanism for the change of Earthʹs ellipsoid compression and, consequently, for the origin of the regular system of faults and lineaments described above.