Articles | Volume 12, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/se-12-959-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/se-12-959-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Nanoscale earthquake records preserved in plagioclase microfractures from the lower continental crust
Arianne J. Petley-Ragan
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Physics of Geological Processes, the Njord centre, University of Oslo,
Oslo, Norway
Oliver Plümper
Department of Earth Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the
Netherlands
Benoit Ildefonse
Géosciences Montpellier, CNRS, University of Montpellier,
Université des Antilles, Montpellier, France
Bjørn Jamtveit
Physics of Geological Processes, the Njord centre, University of Oslo,
Oslo, Norway
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Elastic thermobarometry is an useful tool to recover paleo-pressure and temperature. Here, we provide an analytical model based on the Eshelby solution to calculate the residual stress and strain preserved in a mineral inclusion exhumed from depth. The method applies to ellipsoidal, anisotropic inclusions in infinite isotropic hosts. A finite-element method is also used for a facet effect. Volumetrically averaged stress is shown to be a good proxy for the overall heterogeneous stress stage.
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Short summary
Earthquakes cause rapid deformation that has long-term effects on the Earth's crust. We studied the most abundant mineral, feldspar, in the vicinity of an earthquake to unravel its deformation history. With microscopy, we found internal nm-scale structures that indicate a history of high stress and destruction of atomic structure. This was quickly followed by high temperature and fluid introduction within seconds. Our findings illustrate the intense conditions imposed on rocks by earthquakes.
Earthquakes cause rapid deformation that has long-term effects on the Earth's crust. We studied...