We discuss a linearized model to analyze the errors in the
reconstruction of the relative motion of two tectonic plates using marine
magnetic anomaly data. More complicated geometries, consisting of several
plates, can be analyzed by breaking the geometry into its stochastically
independent parts and repeatedly applying a few simple algorithms to recombine
these parts. A regression version of Welch’s solution to the
Behrens-Fisher problem is needed in the recombination process. The methodology
is illustrated using data from the Indian Ocean. Through a historical
perspective we show how improving data density and improving statistical
techniques have led to more sophisticated models for the Indo-Australian
plate.
¶ We propose an influencebased regression diagnostic for
tectonic data. A generalization of the standardized influence matrix of Lu, Ko
and Chang is applied to study the influence of a group of data points on a
subparameter of interest. This methodology could also be used in
treatment-block designs to analyze the influence of the blocks on the estimated
treatment effects.