A new self-organizing mechanism for deep-focus earthquakes
Abstract
Experimental observations of high-pressure faulting of metastable Mg2GeO4 olivine as it undergoes incipient transformation to a spinel structure are reported. A model is presented in which this faulting arises from the generation, propagation, and linkup of spinel-filled anticracks. When applied to the olivine-to spinel transformation in the earth's mantle, the anticrack model satisfactorily accounts for the similarities and differences between shallow and deep earthquakes and removes the problems associated with frictional sliding.
- Publication:
-
Nature
- Pub Date:
- October 1989
- DOI:
- 10.1038/341733a0
- Bibcode:
- 1989Natur.341..733G
- Keywords:
-
- Earth Mantle;
- Earthquakes;
- Geological Faults;
- Self Organizing Systems;
- Tectonics;
- Depth;
- Microstructure;
- Olivine;
- Phase Transformations;
- Spinel;
- Geophysics