| Abstract: | Geophysical data describing the geometry of underthrust crustal plates at the island arcs are fitted to the relation for strain-free buckling of a thin spherical shell as given by Frank (1968). Agreement of this relation with the data is notable for extensive arcs of large radius. The geometry associated with arcs of smaller radius is less strongly constrained and the dip of descending plates at arcs of small radius is greater than that predicted by the buckling relation. The data have implications concerning the growth of island arcs and the direction in which they may develop. |
