Thermochronometric and textural evidence for seismicity via asperity flash heating on exhumed hematite fault mirrors, Wasatch fault zone, UT, USA

McDermott, Robert G.; Ault, Alexis K.; Evans, James P.; Reiners, Peter W.

doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2017.04.020

Cited by 35 publications

(98 citation statements)

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“…Zircon crystals can be purposefully selected to leverage the range of intrasample visual metamictization, a qualitative proxy for accumulated radiation damage and intrasample geochemical variability (Ault et al, ). Hematite aliquots can be targeted by grain size or texture, proxies for the range in T c , and formation process, respectively (Jensen et al, ; McDermott et al, ). 4 He content is determined by He release from the samples by laser heating or ablation under vacuum, gas purification, and analysis using a noble gas quadrupole or magnetic sector mass spectrometer (Boyce et al, ; Farley et al, ; Horne et al, , ).…”

Section: Foundationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, 4 He/ 3 He thermochronometry allows us to recover thermal history information from a single crystal or aliquot (e.g., Farley & McKeon, ; Flowers & Farley, ; Garcia et al, ; Schildgen et al, ; Tripathy‐Lang et al, ; Valla et al, ). Advances in our understanding of He diffusion in hematite, magnetite, goethite, and Mn oxides (e.g., Balout et al, ; Farley, ; Garcia et al, ), new aliquot selection approaches (e.g., Jensen et al, ), and integration of nanotextural observations with oxide thermochronometry (e.g., Ault et al, ; Ault, Reiners, et al, ; McDermott et al, ; Moser et al, ) enable robust application of these thermochronometry tools to hydrothermal systems, faults, and surficial deposits in recent and deep time.…”

Section: Frontiers In Low‐temperature Thermochronometrymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hematite He thermochronometry informs fault slip timing and processes (Figure 9). Accurate interpretation of hematite He data requires hematite textural characterization, grain size (T c ) distribution data, and constraints on ambient thermal conditions during and after hematite formation from apatite He thermochronometry (e.g., Ault, Reiners, et al, 2015;McDermott et al, 2017;Moser et al, 2017). For example, hematite fault mirrors in the exhumed Wasatch fault damage zone, UT, preserve textural and thermochronometric evidence for asperity flash heating during earthquake aftershocks <4.5 Ma (Figures 9d-9f; Ault, Reiners, et al, 2015;Evans et al, 2014;McDermott et al, 2017).…”

Section: Fault Zone Processes: Earthquakes Creep and Geofluid Flowmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Accurate interpretation of hematite He data requires hematite textural characterization, grain size (T c ) distribution data, and constraints on ambient thermal conditions during and after hematite formation from apatite He thermochronometry (e.g., Ault, Reiners, et al, 2015;McDermott et al, 2017;Moser et al, 2017). For example, hematite fault mirrors in the exhumed Wasatch fault damage zone, UT, preserve textural and thermochronometric evidence for asperity flash heating during earthquake aftershocks <4.5 Ma (Figures 9d-9f; Ault, Reiners, et al, 2015;Evans et al, 2014;McDermott et al, 2017). In the Mecca Hills, CA, adjacent to the San Andreas fault, hematite textures analogous to "scaly" fabrics observed in clays and thermochronometric data document Late Pleistocene episodes of synkinematic hematite mineralization in fault damage zones via creep processes (Figures 9a-9c; Moser et al, 2017).…”

Section: Fault Zone Processes: Earthquakes Creep and Geofluid Flowmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Innovations in (U–Th)/He, Fission Track, and Trapped Charge Thermochronometry with Applications to Earthquakes, Weathering, Surface‐Mantle Connections, and the Growth and Decay of Mountains

2019

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A transformative advance in Earth science is the development of low‐temperature thermochronometry to date Earth surface processes or quantify the thermal evolution of rocks through time. Grand challenges and new directions in low‐temperature thermochronometry involve pushing the boundaries of these techniques to decipher thermal histories operative over seconds to hundreds of millions of years, in recent or deep geologic time and from the perspective of atoms to mountain belts. Here we highlight innovation in bedrock and detrital fission track, (U–Th)/He, and trapped charge thermochronometry, as well as thermal history modeling that enable fresh perspectives on Earth science problems. These developments connect low‐temperature thermochronometry tools with new users across Earth science disciplines to enable transdisciplinary research. Method advances include radiation damage and crystal chemistry influences on fission track and (U–Th)/He systematics, atomistic calculations of He diffusion, measurement protocols and numerical modeling routines in trapped charge systematics, development of 4He/3He and new (U–Th)/He thermochronometers, and multimethod approaches. New applications leverage method developments and include quantifying landscape evolution at variable temporal scales, changes to Earth's surface in deep geologic time and connections to mantle processes, the spectrum of fault processes from paleoearthquakes to slow slip and fluid flow, and paleoclimate and past critical zone evolution. These research avenues have societal implications for modern climate change, groundwater flow paths, mineral resource and petroleum systems science, and earthquake hazards.

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Section: Foundationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Frontiers In Low‐temperature Thermochronometrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Fault Zone Processes: Earthquakes Creep and Geofluid Flowmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Fault Zone Processes: Earthquakes Creep and Geofluid Flowmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Innovations in (U–Th)/He, Fission Track, and Trapped Charge Thermochronometry with Applications to Earthquakes, Weathering, Surface‐Mantle Connections, and the Growth and Decay of Mountains

2019

Self Cite

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“…With a little algebra, a calibrated equation gives the effective coefficient of friction,

μ_{asp} \equiv \frac{τ_{avg}}{P_{eff}} \approx μ_{\infty} - ((), μ_{\infty} - μ_{RS}) ((), \frac{V_{weak}}{V_{slip}})

where μ ∞ is the coefficient of friction at very high sliding velocities and μ RS in equation is the rate and state coefficient of friction at low sliding velocities. Forms equivalent to equation are in wide use (e.g., Beeler et al, ; Bizzarri, ; McDermott et al, ; Noda et al, ; Rice, , ).…”

Section: Thermal Weakening Of Asperity Tips In Icementioning

confidence: 99%

Friction in Cold Ice Within Outer Solar System Satellites With Reference to Thermal Weakening at High Sliding Velocities

Sleep

2019

JGR Planets

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The icy shells of Enceladus and Europa consist from top down of cold (~100 K) ice at low (<0.1 MPa) pressure, cold ice at high pressure up to ~10 MPa, and warm ice near 273 K the base. The pressure ~10 MPa and temperature near 273 K of basal ice within Enceladus and Europa are similar to that within terrestrial glaciers that are known to have seismicity (icequakes). Warm ice easily melts during sliding so its icequakes are qualitatively explained and expected on these satellites if the macroscopic strain rates are comparable to those within terrestrial glaciers subjected to oceanic tides. However, cold ice at high pressures does not readily macroscopically melt during sliding. A dynamic weakening mechanism for crustal faults in rock may be applicable to Enceladus and Europa. Micron‐scale real contacts support ~0.4‐GPa shear tractions and normal tractions on rapidly sliding ice faults. At sliding velocities above ~0.1 m/s, the asperity tips of the contacts become hot and weak in ice. The macroscopic friction depends on the average strength of the asperity tips during the lifetimes of contact. The strength of the asperity tips self‐organizes so that frictional heating balances the heat lost from the asperity tip by conduction. The macroscopic coefficient of friction at coseismic sliding velocities decreases to a modest fraction of the low‐velocity coefficient of friction, but does not approach zero. This velocity‐weakening mechanism likely allows major icequakes within the cold interiors of Europa and Enceladus.

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Seismicity at Newdigate, Surrey, during 2018-2019: A candidate mechanism indicating causation by nearby oil production

Westaway

2020

Preprint

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During 2018-2019, oil was intermittently produced from the Late Jurassic Upper Portland Sandstone in the Weald Basin, southeast England, via the Horse Hill-1 and Brockham-X2Y wells. Concurrently, a sequence of earthquakes of magnitude ≤3.25 occurred near Newdigate, $3 km and $8 km from these wells. The pattern, with earthquakes concentrated during production from this Portland reservoir, suggests a cause-and-effect connection. It is proposed that this seismicity occurred on a patch of fault transecting permeable Dinantian limestone, beneath the Jurassic succession of the Weald Basin, hydraulically connected to this reservoir via this permeable fault and the permeable calcite 'beef' fabric within the Portland sandstone; oil production depressurizes this reservoir and draws groundwater from the limestone, compacting it and 'unclamping' the fault, reaching the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion and causing seismicity. In principle this model is fully testable, but required data, notably the history of pressure variations in the wells, are not currently in the public domain. Quantitative estimates are, nonetheless, made of the magnitudes of the variations, arising from production from each well, in the state of stress on the seismogenic Newdigate fault. The general principles of this model, including the incorporation of poroelastic effects and effects of fault asperities into Mohr-Coulomb failure calculations, may inform understanding of anthropogenic seismicity in other settings.

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Thermochronometric and textural evidence for seismicity via asperity flash heating on exhumed hematite fault mirrors, Wasatch fault zone, UT, USA

Cited by 35 publications

References 48 publications

Innovations in (U–Th)/He, Fission Track, and Trapped Charge Thermochronometry with Applications to Earthquakes, Weathering, Surface‐Mantle Connections, and the Growth and Decay of Mountains

Innovations in (U–Th)/He, Fission Track, and Trapped Charge Thermochronometry with Applications to Earthquakes, Weathering, Surface‐Mantle Connections, and the Growth and Decay of Mountains

Friction in Cold Ice Within Outer Solar System Satellites With Reference to Thermal Weakening at High Sliding Velocities

Seismicity at Newdigate, Surrey, during 2018-2019: A candidate mechanism indicating causation by nearby oil production

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