Generation of amorphous carbon and crystallographic texture during low-temperature subseismic slip in calcite fault gouge
Identification of the nano-scale to micro-scale mechanochemical processes occurring during fault slip is of fundamental importance to understand earthquake nucleation and propagation. Here we explore the micromechanical processes occurring during fault nucleation and slip at subseismic rates (∼3 × 1...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Geological Society of America
2018
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/68213 |
| _version_ | 1848761773088309248 |
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| author | Piane, C. Piazolo, S. Timms, Nicholas Eric Luzin, V. Saunders, M. Bourdet, J. Giwelli, A. Ben Clennell, M. Kong, C. Rickard, William Verrall, M. |
| author_facet | Piane, C. Piazolo, S. Timms, Nicholas Eric Luzin, V. Saunders, M. Bourdet, J. Giwelli, A. Ben Clennell, M. Kong, C. Rickard, William Verrall, M. |
| author_sort | Piane, C. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Identification of the nano-scale to micro-scale mechanochemical processes occurring during fault slip is of fundamental importance to understand earthquake nucleation and propagation. Here we explore the micromechanical processes occurring during fault nucleation and slip at subseismic rates (∼3 × 10−6 m s–1) in carbonate rocks. We experimentally sheared calcite-rich travertine blocks at simulated upper crustal conditions, producing a nano-grained fault gouge. Strain in the gouge is accommodated by cataclastic comminution of calcite grains and concurrent crystal-plastic deformation through twinning and dislocation glide, producing a crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO). Continued wear of fine-grained gouge particles results in the mechanical decomposition of calcite and production of amorphous carbon. We show that CPO and the production of amorphous carbon, previously attributed to frictional heating and weakening during seismic slip, can be produced at low temperature during stable slip at subseismic rates without slip weakening. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:37:00Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-68213 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:37:00Z |
| publishDate | 2018 |
| publisher | Geological Society of America |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-682132018-12-05T07:46:20Z Generation of amorphous carbon and crystallographic texture during low-temperature subseismic slip in calcite fault gouge Piane, C. Piazolo, S. Timms, Nicholas Eric Luzin, V. Saunders, M. Bourdet, J. Giwelli, A. Ben Clennell, M. Kong, C. Rickard, William Verrall, M. Identification of the nano-scale to micro-scale mechanochemical processes occurring during fault slip is of fundamental importance to understand earthquake nucleation and propagation. Here we explore the micromechanical processes occurring during fault nucleation and slip at subseismic rates (∼3 × 10−6 m s–1) in carbonate rocks. We experimentally sheared calcite-rich travertine blocks at simulated upper crustal conditions, producing a nano-grained fault gouge. Strain in the gouge is accommodated by cataclastic comminution of calcite grains and concurrent crystal-plastic deformation through twinning and dislocation glide, producing a crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO). Continued wear of fine-grained gouge particles results in the mechanical decomposition of calcite and production of amorphous carbon. We show that CPO and the production of amorphous carbon, previously attributed to frictional heating and weakening during seismic slip, can be produced at low temperature during stable slip at subseismic rates without slip weakening. 2018 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/68213 10.1130/G39584.1 Geological Society of America restricted |
| spellingShingle | Piane, C. Piazolo, S. Timms, Nicholas Eric Luzin, V. Saunders, M. Bourdet, J. Giwelli, A. Ben Clennell, M. Kong, C. Rickard, William Verrall, M. Generation of amorphous carbon and crystallographic texture during low-temperature subseismic slip in calcite fault gouge |
| title | Generation of amorphous carbon and crystallographic texture during low-temperature subseismic slip in calcite fault gouge |
| title_full | Generation of amorphous carbon and crystallographic texture during low-temperature subseismic slip in calcite fault gouge |
| title_fullStr | Generation of amorphous carbon and crystallographic texture during low-temperature subseismic slip in calcite fault gouge |
| title_full_unstemmed | Generation of amorphous carbon and crystallographic texture during low-temperature subseismic slip in calcite fault gouge |
| title_short | Generation of amorphous carbon and crystallographic texture during low-temperature subseismic slip in calcite fault gouge |
| title_sort | generation of amorphous carbon and crystallographic texture during low-temperature subseismic slip in calcite fault gouge |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/68213 |