Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-735
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-735
23 Feb 2026
 | 23 Feb 2026

Patterns of crustal stress derived from the World Stress Map database 2025

Oliver Heidbach and Mojtaba Rajabi

Abstract. Knowledge of the present-day stress field of the Earth’s crust is essential for understanding geodynamic processes, as well as for the exploration and management of geo-reservoirs. The World Stress Map (WSM) project provides the only open-access global database of crustal stress information. To mark the project’s 40th anniversary, the WSM database has been substantially updated, and now contains more than twice the number of data records on the orientation of maximum horizontal stress (SHmax) in comparison to the previous release in 2016. The new database includes 100,842 quality-ranked data records documenting the SHmax orientation in the Earth’s crust. As stress data records are clustered around plate boundaries and in sedimentary basins, we provide mean SHmax orientation estimates on regular global grids of 2°, 1°, 0.5° and 0.2° to facilitate the analysis of stress patterns. The results reveal that in intraplate regions, where stress data density has increased significantly, the earlier hypothesis that plate boundary forces and relative plate motion primarily control SHmax orientation needs to be revised. SHmax rotates by more than 50° over spatial scales of 50–500 km. Two notable examples include an ~50° rotation of SHmax in the Alpine foreland, from N-S in the East to NNW-SSE in the West, and several SHmax rotations > 50° over distances of less than 100 km in eastern Australia.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this paper. While Copernicus Publications makes every effort to include appropriate place names, the final responsibility lies with the authors. Views expressed in the text are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher.
Share

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

12 May 2026
| Highlight paper
Patterns of contemporary horizontal stress orientation in the Earth's crust derived from the World Stress Map Database 2025
Oliver Heidbach and Mojtaba Rajabi
Solid Earth, 17, 735–745, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-17-735-2026,https://doi.org/10.5194/se-17-735-2026, 2026
Short summary Editorial statement
Oliver Heidbach and Mojtaba Rajabi

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2026-735', Anonymous Referee #1, 25 Mar 2026
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Oliver Heidbach, 07 Apr 2026
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2026-735', David Healy, 02 Apr 2026
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Oliver Heidbach, 07 Apr 2026
  • RC3: 'Comment on egusphere-2026-735', Anonymous Referee #3, 15 Apr 2026
    • AC3: 'Reply on RC3', Oliver Heidbach, 24 Apr 2026

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2026-735', Anonymous Referee #1, 25 Mar 2026
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Oliver Heidbach, 07 Apr 2026
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2026-735', David Healy, 02 Apr 2026
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Oliver Heidbach, 07 Apr 2026
  • RC3: 'Comment on egusphere-2026-735', Anonymous Referee #3, 15 Apr 2026
    • AC3: 'Reply on RC3', Oliver Heidbach, 24 Apr 2026

Peer review completion

AR – Author's response | RR – Referee report | ED – Editor decision | EF – Editorial file upload
AR by Oliver Heidbach on behalf of the Authors (30 Apr 2026)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish as is (01 May 2026) by Christoph Schrank
ED: Publish as is (01 May 2026) by Florian Fusseis (Executive editor)
AR by Oliver Heidbach on behalf of the Authors (01 May 2026)

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

12 May 2026
| Highlight paper
Patterns of contemporary horizontal stress orientation in the Earth's crust derived from the World Stress Map Database 2025
Oliver Heidbach and Mojtaba Rajabi
Solid Earth, 17, 735–745, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-17-735-2026,https://doi.org/10.5194/se-17-735-2026, 2026
Short summary Editorial statement
Oliver Heidbach and Mojtaba Rajabi
Oliver Heidbach and Mojtaba Rajabi

Viewed

Total article views: 1,885 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
HTML PDF XML Total BibTeX EndNote
1,050 735 100 1,885 91 126
  • HTML: 1,050
  • PDF: 735
  • XML: 100
  • Total: 1,885
  • BibTeX: 91
  • EndNote: 126
Views and downloads (calculated since 23 Feb 2026)
Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 23 Feb 2026)

Viewed (geographical distribution)

Total article views: 1,871 (including HTML, PDF, and XML) Thereof 1,871 with geography defined and 0 with unknown origin.
Country # Views %
  • 1
1
 
 
 
 
Latest update: 25 May 2026
Download

The requested preprint has a corresponding peer-reviewed final revised paper. You are encouraged to refer to the final revised version.

Short summary
The World Stress Map project provides the only open-access database of crustal stress information. The new global database has been substantially updated, and now contains more than twice the number of data on the orientation of maximum horizontal stress (SHmax). As data are clustered, we provide mean SHmax orientations on different global grids. The results reveal for intraplate areas that the earlier hypothesis that plate boundary forces control the SHmax orientation needs to be revised.
Share