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Resolving puzzles of the phase-transformation-based mechanism of the strong deep-focus earthquake

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  • Valery I. Levitas

    (Iowa State University, Department of Aerospace Engineering
    Iowa State University, Department of Mechanical Engineering
    Ames Laboratory, Division of Materials Science and Engineering)

Abstract

Deep-focus earthquakes that occur at 350–660 km are assumed to be caused by olivine → spinel phase transformation (PT). However, there are many existing puzzles: (a) What are the mechanisms for jump from geological 10−17 − 10−15 s−1 to seismic 10 − 103 s−1 strain rates? Is it possible without PT? (b) How does metastable olivine, which does not completely transform to spinel for over a million years, suddenly transform during seconds? (c) How to connect shear-dominated seismic signals with volume-change-dominated PT strain? Here, we introduce a combination of several novel concepts that resolve the above puzzles quantitatively. We treat the transformation in olivine like plastic strain-induced (instead of pressure/stress-induced) and find an analytical 3D solution for coupled deformation-transformation-heating in a shear band. This solution predicts conditions for severe (singular) transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) and self-blown-up deformation-transformation-heating process due to positive thermomechanochemical feedback between TRIP and strain-induced transformation. This process leads to temperature in a band, above which the self-blown-up shear-heating process in the shear band occurs after finishing the PT. Our findings change the main concepts in studying the initiation of the deep-focus earthquakes and PTs during plastic flow in geophysics in general.

Suggested Citation

  • Valery I. Levitas, 2022. "Resolving puzzles of the phase-transformation-based mechanism of the strong deep-focus earthquake," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-33802-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33802-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Patrick Cordier & Sylvie Demouchy & Benoît Beausir & Vincent Taupin & Fabrice Barou & Claude Fressengeas, 2014. "Disclinations provide the missing mechanism for deforming olivine-rich rocks in the mantle," Nature, Nature, vol. 507(7490), pages 51-56, March.
    2. Vahid Samae & Patrick Cordier & Sylvie Demouchy & Caroline Bollinger & Julien Gasc & Sanae Koizumi & Alexandre Mussi & Dominique Schryvers & Hosni Idrissi, 2021. "Stress-induced amorphization triggers deformation in the lithospheric mantle," Nature, Nature, vol. 591(7848), pages 82-86, March.
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