  A general self-learning metabasin escape (SLME) algorithm~\citep{caoPRE2012}
is coupled in this work with continuous shear deformations to probe the yield
stress as a function of strain rate and temperature for a binary Lennard-Jones
(LJ) amorphous solid. The approach is shown to match the results of classical
molecular dynamics (MD) at high strain rates where the MD results are valid,
but, importantly, is able to access experimental strain rates that are about
ten orders of magnitude slower than MD. In doing so, we find in agreement with
previous experimental studies that a substantial decrease in yield stress is
observed with decreasing strain rate. At room temperature and laboratory strain
rates, the activation volume associated with yield is found to contain about 10
LJ particles, while the yield stress is as sensitive to a $1.5\%T_{\rm g}$
increase in temperature as it is to a one order of magnitude decrease in strain
rate. Moreover, our SLME results suggest the SLME and extrapolated results from
MD simulations follow distinctly different energetic pathways during the
applied shear deformation at low temperatures and experimental strain rates,
which implies that extrapolation of the governing deformation mechanisms from
MD strain rates to experimental may not be valid.
