菲律賓海板塊擠壓歐亞板塊使得台灣有劇烈的造山運動。過去一般研究台灣地體構造皆著眼於外部擠壓應力，卻忽略岩石圈本身承受內應力作用的變形行為。換言之，岩石圈本身的浮力與重力位能變化也可對岩石圈變形發揮相當大的功能。事實上岩石圈的重力位能變化（ΔPE）扮演著重要的角色，當重力位能變化大於零時，代表該地區可能呈現伸張應力；相反的，當重力位能變化小於零時，可能呈現壓縮應力。此外，藉由岩石圈相對於軟流圈的浮力我們可以判斷岩石圈是否呈現穩定狀況或是受其他外部應力的影響。本研究計算台灣地區岩石圈相對於軟流圈所產生的浮力與重力位能變化值，並探討當台灣地區的岩石圈厚度改變時，相對應的浮力與重力位能變化會對各地區產生何種應力的效應。
比較三維層析的速度構造和台灣地區海陸聯合震測三條剖線，我們求取最合適的莫氏不連續面的深度分佈，作為台灣地區地殼位置的參考面。藉由震波速度與地層密度的關係式，我們可以求得地殼的密度結構，再經過合理的計算與假設，求得台灣地區岩石圈的浮力與重力位能變化。結果顯示，台灣北部及宜蘭平原受菲律賓海板塊向北隱沒的向下拉力約相當於兩公里的地幔岩石圈浮力。台灣南部可能也受馬尼拉隱沒系統的影響使得重力位能變化呈現異常低值。台灣西部沿海地區重力位能變化及地幔岩石圈浮力也有明顯的低值，此低值帶與台灣造山帶的變形前緣吻合，可能是因為歐亞板塊受菲律賓海板塊擠壓而造成向下撓曲且向東傾斜的結果。至於中央山脈地區則分成南北兩部分，北段中央山脈雖承受擠壓應力，但是屬於較穩定的狀態，而南部中央山脈和海岸山脈中北段部分，資料顯示它們正處於伸張應力狀態，且地幔岩石圈的浮力也顯現相對的高區，暗示著此地區岩石圈下部有發生拆層（delaminaton）或是重力崩解（gravity collapse）的可能性。

Angelier, J., J.-C. Lee., H.-T. Chu., C.-Y. Lu., M. Fournier., J.-C. Hu., N.-T.
Lin., B. Deffontains., B. Delcaillau., O. Lacombe. and T.-Q. Lee, 1995, Crustal extension in an active orogen: Taiwan, ACT Symp, 25-32.
Birch, F, 1961, The velocity of compressional waves in rocks to 10 kilobars, 2,
J. Geophys. Res., 66, 2199-2224.
Christensen, N.I. and Moony, W.D. 1995, Seismic velocity structure and
composition of the continental crust: A global view, J. Geophys. Res., 100,
9761-9788
Coblentz, D. D., Richardson, R. M. and Sandiford, M., 1994, Tectonics, 13,
929-945.
Coney, P. J. and Harms, T. A., 1984, Geology, 12, 550-554
Gvirtzman, Z. and Nur, A., 1999, Plate detachment, asthenosphere
upwelling, and topography across subduction zones: Geology,
27, 563-566.
Houseman, G. A. and England, P., 1986, Adynamical model of lithosphere
extension and sedimentary basin formation, J. Geophys. Res., 91, B1, 719-729
Hsu, S.K. and Sibuet, J.-C., 1995, Is Taiwan the result of arc —
continent or arc-arc collision? Earth Planet. Sci. Left, 136,
315-324.
Hsu, S.K., 2001, Lithospheric strusture, buoyancy and coupling
across the southernmost Ryukyu subdiction zone: an example of decreasing plate coupling: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 186, 471-478.
Huang, C.Y., Yuan, P.B., Song, S. R., Lin, C.W., C., Chen, M.T.,
Shyu, C.T. and Karp, B., 1995, Tectonics of short-lived intra - arc basins in the arc-continent collision terrane of the coastal Range, eastern Taiwan: Tectonics, 14, 19-38.
Huang, C.Y., Wu, W.Y., Chang, C.P., Tsao, S., Yuan, P.B., Lin,C.W.
and Yuan, X.K., 1997, Tectonic evolution of accretionary prism
in the arc-continent collision terrane of Taiwan: Tectonophys,
281, 31-51.
Hwang, W.T. and Wang, C.Y., 1993 Sequence thrusting model for
mountain bounding: constraints from geology and heat flow of Taiwan, J. Geophys. Res, 98, 9963-9973.
Jones, C.H., Unruh, J.R. and Sonder, L.J., 1996, The role of ravitational potential energy in active deformation in the
outhwestern United States: Nature, 381, 37-41.
Jones, C.H., Sonder, L.J., and Unruh, J.R., 1998, Lithospheric gravitational
energy and past orogenesis: Implications for conditions of initial Basin and
Range and Laramide deformation, Geology, 26, 639-642.
Lachenbruch, A.H. and Morgan, P., 1990 Continental extension, magmatism
and elevation; formal relations and rules of thumb: Tectonophysics, 174, 39-62.
Lee, T.Q., Kissel, C., Barrier, E., Laj, C., and Chi, W.R., 1991, Paleomagnetic
evidence for a diachronic clockwise rotation of the Coastal Range, eastern Taiwan, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 104, 245-257.
Lin, C.H., 2000, Thermal modeling of continental subduction and exhumation
constrained by heat flow and seismicity in Taiwan: Tectonophysics, 324, 189-201.
Liu, C.C., 1995, The Ilan plain and the southwestward extending Okinawa
Trough: J. Geol. Soc. China, 38, 229-242.
Lowrie, W., 1997, Fundamentals of Geophysics, CAMBRIDGE
Lu, C.Y., Ksu, K.J., 1992, Tectonic evolution of the Taiwan mountain belt.
Petrol. Geol. Taiwan, 27, 21-46.
Lu, C. Y., J. Angelier, H.-T. Chu and J.-C. Lee., 1995, Contractional,
transcurrent, rotational and extensional tectonics: examples from Northern Taiwan: Tectonophysics, 246, 129-146.
Lundberg, N., D.L. Reed, C. —S. Liu, and J. Lieske Jr., 1997 Frearc-basin
closure and arc accretion in the submarine suture zone south of Taiwan.
Tectonophys, 274, 5-24.
Ma, K.-F., J.-H. Wang, and D. Zhao, 1996, Three-dimensional seismic velocity
structure of the crust and uppermost mantle beneath Taiwan, J. Phys. Earth, 44, 85-105.
Molnar, P. and Chen, W. P., J. geophys. Res. 1983, 88, 1180-1196
Nafe, J. E. and Drake, C. L., 1957, Variation with depth in shallow
and deep water marine sediments of porosity, density and the
velocities of compressional and shear waves, Geophysics, 22, 523-552
Rau, R.-J., and F.T. Wu, 1995, Tomographic imaging of lithospheric structures
under Taiwan, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 133, 517-532.
Reed, D.L., Lundberg, N. Liu, C.S. and Kuo, B.Y., 1992, Structural relations
along the margins of the offshore Taiwan accrectionary wedge: lmplication for accretion and crustal kinematics, Acta Geol. Taiwan., 30, 105-122.
Sandiford, M. and Powell, R., 1990, Some Isostatic and thermal consequences
of the vertical strain geometry in convergent orogens, Earth Planet. Sci.
Lett., 98, 154-165
Shih, R.C., C.H. Lin, H.L. Lai, Y.H. Yeh, B.B. Hung, and H.Y. Yen, 1998,
Preliminary crustal structures across central Taiwan from modeling of the
onshore-offshore wide-angle seismic data, Terr. Atmos. Oceanic Sci., 9,
317-328.
Sibuet, J.C., and Hsu, S.K., 1997, Geodynamics of the Taiwan
arc-arc collision, Tectnophys., 30, 101-104.
Sibuet, J. C., Hsu, S. K.and Liu, C. S., 1998, Okinawa Trough
backarc basin: early tectonic and magmatic evolution, J. Geophys. Res., 103, 30245-30267
Sonder, L. J., England, P. C., Wernicke, B. P. and Christensen, R. L., 1987 in
Continental Extensional Tectonics （eds Coward, M. P. Dewey, J. F. and
Han cock, P. L.）187-201 （Spec. Publ. 28. Geol. Soc., Oxford）
Suppe, J., 1981, Mechanics of mountain building in Taiwan, Mem. Geol. Soc.
Chain 4, 67-89.
Teng, L.S., 1992, Geotectonic evolution of Tertiary continental
margin basins of Taiwan: Petrol. Geol. Taiwan, 27, 1-19.
Turcotte, D.L., and Schubert, G., 1983, Geodynamics-Applications of
continuum physics to geological problems
Wang, C.Y., Adam Ellwood, W, F., Rau, R.J. and Ten, H.Y., 1996,
Mountain-building in Taiwan and the Critical Wedge Modal:
Amer. Geophys. Union, 96, 49-55.
Wang, J. H., K. C. Chen and T. Q. Lee, 1994, Depth distribution of
shallow earthquakes in Taiwan, J. Geol. Soc.China, 37, 25-142
Wang, K.-L., Chung, S.-L., Shinjo, R., Yang, T. F., Chen, C.-H.,
1999. Post-collisional magmatism around northern Taiwan and
its relation with opening of the Okinawa Trough.
Tectonophysics 308, 363-376 et al., 1999
Wu, F.T., Rau, R.-J., David Salzberg, 1997, Taiwan orogeny: thin skinned or
lithospheric collision?: Tectonphs., 274, 191-220.
Yeh, Y.-H., E. Barrier, C.-H. Lin, and J. Angelier, 1991, Stress
tensor analysis in the Taiwan area from focal mechanisms of
earthquakes, Tectonophysics, 200, 267-280.
Yet, Y. H., R. C. Shih, C. H. Lin, C. C. Liu, H. Y. Yen, B. S. Hung, C. S. Liu, P.
Z. Chen, C. S. Huang, C. J. Wu and F.T.Wu, 1998, Onshore/offshore
wide-angle deep seisic profiling in Taiwan, Terr. Atmos. Oceanic Sci., 9, 301-316
Yu, S.B., and Jackson, D.D., Yu, G.K. and Liu, C.C., 1990, Dislocation model
for crustal deformation in the Longitudinal Valley area, eastern Taiwan: Tectonophysics, 183, 97-109.
Yu, H.S., 1994, Structure, Stratigraphy and basin subsidence of Teritiary basins
along the Chinese southeastern continental margin. Teconophys., 235,
63-76.
李憲忠(1999) 以強地動波形模擬研究台灣中西部Ｓ波速度構造:國立中央
大學地球物理研究所碩士論文，138頁。
宋德濡(1997) 台灣造山帶地殼特性之研究:國立中大學地球物理研究所碩
士論文，134頁。
何春蓀(1997) 台灣地質概論台灣地質圖說明書。
許雅儒(1999) 由GPS觀測資料探討宜蘭平原的伸張變形:國立中央大學地
球物理研究所碩士論文，108頁。
李昭興、盧世民 (1976) 琉球內背西南段在宜蘭附近地熱資源探勘上的意
義:礦業技術，第14卷，第4期，第114-120頁。
李錫堤(1986) 大地應力分析與弧陸碰撞對於台灣北部應力場變遷之影響:
國立台灣大學地質研究所博士論文，370頁。
葉義雄、石瑞銓、林正洪 1995海陸聯炸之陸地測線。