Self-gravitational strain

[Wilmot McCutchen]

Could spherical deformation due to gravity pulling material to the center actually raise material near the surface with respect to material in the interior? Deep in the lithosphere, there is a zero displacement depth where the ratio k of horizontal stress to radial stress remains constant. Above this depth, k increases nonlinearly. Because of the free outer surface of the self-gravitating sphere, the material is able to expand in portions near the surface as compared with the material somewhat deeper. Could this be what uplifted the Colorado Plateau?

[Externet]

Am sorry, but I cannot resist to ask... Is it for sure the Colorado plateau rose or its surroundings sank/eroded to a lower level leaving the plateau ?

[Enthalpy]

Materials with varied density compose the Earth, for instance lighter oxides float over denser metals, and lighter continents float higher than denser Oceanic floor.

 

Beyond this equilibrium, Earth dynamics, especially the inner heat, create movements and situations outside equilibrium, like mountains.

[Wilmot McCutchen]

The buoyancy of the Colorado Plateau, or maybe a result of the turbulence in the crust -- both are plausible contributing factors to the observed uplift. I'm no expert on geology. The self-gravitational strain might be another contributing factor, but I don't know. Regarding other spheres, such as collapsars, the mechanism for producing the axial jets remains unclear. Earth uplift and collapsar axial jets may be due to this localized free surface expansion due to self-gravitational strain focusing at the axis of rotation. Just speculating.