Influence of deformation bands on sandstone porosity: A case study using three-dimensional microtomography

This study presents a qualitative and quantitative analysis of porosity in deformation bands by applying X-ray micro-computed tomography in conjunction with microstructural analysis. Samples of compactional cataclastic bands and shear compactional bands identified in Early Cretaceous aeolian sandstones of the Paraná Basin were analyzed. The application of X-ray micro-computed tomography expanded the view of features in the porous framework of each type of deformation band studied and provided information that are not clear or was not observable with optical microscopy. The compactional cataclastic bands and shear compactional bands differ in geometry, thickness, microstructures and, mainly, in the distribution, shape and orientation of the remaining pores. Porosity analysis was also performed by comparing values of porosity (total, open and closed pores) of the parental rock and the deformation band in each sample. Results of these analyses show a reduction of total porosity and open pores and therefore an increase in the amount of closed pores in all types of deformation bands in relation to parental rock. In addition, it is observed that changes in porosity characteristics are related to the effect of different deformation mechanisms that operated in each type of deformation band.     

A geometric model for the formation of deformation band clusters

Arrays of closely-spaced (approximately <70 mm) sub-parallel cataclastic deformation bands are common structures in deformed, high-porosity (∼10–35%) sandstones. The distribution of strain onto many small-displacement deformation bands is thought by some to result from strain-hardening of the cataclasite within individual bands. Examination of both normal and strike-slip faults with displacements ≤7 m from southeastern Utah, USA, and the North Island of New Zealand suggests, however, that clusters of deformation bands systematically develop at fault geometric irregularities (e.g., fault bends, steps, relays, intersections and zones of normal drag). The strain-hardening model does not account for clustering of deformation bands at fault geometric irregularities or the associated widespread coalescence of bands, and is not unequivocally demonstrated by post-peak macroscopic mechanical responses in laboratory rock deformation experiments. A geometric model is proposed in which individual bands within clusters develop sequentially due to migration of incremental shear strains at fault geometric irregularities as part of a slip localisation, asperity removal and strain weakening process. The geometric model, which does not require strain hardening of the fault rock, applies for the duration of faulting and a range of rock types in the brittle upper crust.     

Microfracturing in relation to atomic structure of plagioclase from a deformed meta-anorthosite

Brittle deformation of Caledonian age affects the Harris (Scotland) meta-anorthosite and occurs as restricted areas with penetrative networks of shear fractures, frequently associated with pseudotachylite. Plagioclase is cut by both transcrystalline and intracrystalline fractures, the latter being of two types: those directly induced by the transcrystalline shear fractures and those which appear to be independent of them. Several orientations of intracrystalline fractures may occur in any one grain.Whereas the orientations of the transcrystalline fractures may be independent of the plagioclase lattice, intracrystalline fractures are clearly crystallographically controlled. The most common intracrystalline fractures follow the main cleavage planes, (001) in all cases, but also frequently (010), (110) and (110). Other fracture directions, often conjugate, are very common. They include (021) and others near (111)–(121) and (111)–(121) close to the [101] and the [112] and [112] zones. These latter planes are those which also occur as cleavages in experimentally shocked microcline and as slip planes and deformation bands in experimentally deformed feldspars.The easy slip and low cohesion in plagioclase can be explained in terms of periodic bond chains in the feldspar structure. The close agreement in orientation between the unusual cleavages developed in the meta-anorthosite and experimentally produced deformation bands in plagioclase suggests that fracture occurs along the deformation bands parallel to dislocation glide planes.     

Microstructure,c-axis pattern,microstrain and kinematics of some S-C mylonites in grenville gneiss

In a major tectonic zone late extension related SC mylonites locally overprint the predominant coarser quartz microstructures, which are related to earlier thrusting. Some of the SC mylonites display a microstructural evolution which began with the formation of deformation bands in the coarser pre-existing microstructure and continued with the formation of asymmetric quartz microfoliations, either by continued formation of deformation bands or fine new grains oblique to the deformation band boundaries. The orientation of boudinaged and passively reoriented rutile needles show that (i) the formation of deformation bands was preceded and accompanied by the accumulation of strain; (ii) that the deformation bands and oblique microfoliation which formed directly from them lie close to the finite stretching direction; whereas (iii) other microfoliations form oblique to deformation bands and extended rutile needles near the probable instantaneous stretching direction. The latter are therefore interpreted to be strain insensitive, steady-state foliations. The crystallographic preferred orientation of the original deformation bands appears to determine that of the microfoliations, the two types of microfoliations showing distinct but related patterns. The element common to both types is the presence of two maxima near Y in a YZ girdle—a feature inherited from the deformation bands, which were formed in the initial stages of shortening of the aggregate, favourably disposing it for rhomb slip and providing nucleation sites for subsequent recrystallization.The data confirm that, despite the fact that a variety of microstructures and crystallographic microfabrics result from recrystallization processes, kinematic information is usually recoverable from the crystallographic microfabrics owing to the primacy of intracrystalline slip processes.     

Deformation bands in chalk,examples from the Shetland Group of the Oseberg Field,North Sea,Norway

Deformation bands are described in detail for the first time in carbonate rock from the subsurface and in chalk from the North Sea. The samples are from 2200 to 2300 m below sea level, in upper Maastrichtian to Danian chalk in the Oseberg Field. The deformation bands were investigated using thin-section analysis, SEM and computed tomography (CT). There is a reduction in porosity from 30 to 40% in the matrix to ca. 10% or less inside the deformation bands. They have apparent thicknesses ranging from less than 0.05–0.5 mm and have previously often been referred to as hairline fractures. Their narrowness is probably the reason why these features have not previously been recognised as deformation bands. The deformation bands in chalk are very thin compared to deformation bands in sandstone and carbonate grainstones which have mm to cm widths. This is suggested to be due to the fine grain size of the chalk matrix (2–10 μm), and it appears to be a positive correlation between grain-size and width of deformation bands. The deformation bands are suggested to have been formed as compactional shear bands during mechanical compaction, and also related to faulting.     

Dynamic recrystallization and chemical evolution of clinoamphibole from Senja,Norway

Clinoamphibole from a mylonitic amphibolite exhibits microstructures characteristic of dynamic recrystallization, including porphyroclasts in a finer grained matrix of needle-shaped amphibole. The matrix amphibole defines an LS fabric and porphyroclasts have core and mantle structures with a core containing undulose to patchy extinction and (100) deformation twinning surrounded by a mantle of recrystallized grains. In addition intragranular grains also occur within the cores. TEM analyses of the porphyroclasts reveal that they contain a wide variety of lattice defects including high densities (5 × 10⁸cm^–2) of free dislocations and dislocation arrays, dissociated dislocations, stacking faults, and (100) micro-twins. TEM also shows that matrix grains and intragranular grains have relatively low defect densities, and that the intragranular new grains occur at localities in the porphyroclasts characterized by high densities of dislocations. These observations along with the chemical and orientation relationships between the recrystallized grains and porphyroclasts indicate that the new grains may have formed by heterogeneous nucleation and that further growth probably occurred by both strain assisted and chemically induced grain boundary migration or liquid film migration. This recrystallization event is interpreted to be synkinematic based on the fact that no recrystallization textures are present in the matrix grains and that the matrix grains define an LS fabric. However, the low defect densities in the matrix grains and the lack of intracrystalline strain in other phases indicate that post-kinematic recovery processes were active.     

Spatial distribution of deformation bands in damage zones of extensional faults in porous sandstones: Statistical analysis of field data

The distribution of deformation bands in damage zones of extensional faults in porous sandstones has been analyzed using 106 outcrop scanlines along which the position and frequency of deformation bands have been recorded. The analysis reveals a non-linear relationship between damage zone width and fault throw, a logarithmic decrease in deformation band frequency away from the fault core, as well as a fractal spatial distribution associated with clustering of the deformation bands. Furthermore, damage zones appear wider in the hanging wall than in the footwall, although the deformation band density is similar on both sides. Statistical trends derived from the database imply that fault growth in porous sandstones can be considered as a scale invariant process. From an initial process zone, the damage zone grows by a constant balance between the development of new deformation bands in the existing damage zone and the creation of new bands outside. Moreover, as the width of the damage zone increases throughout the active lifetime of a fault, the distribution of the deformation bands in the damage zone remains self-similar. Hence band distribution and damage zone width for seismically mapped faults can be predicted from the relationships found in this paper.     

Sequential growth of deformation bands in carbonate grainstones in the hangingwall of an active growth fault: Implications for deformation mechanisms in different tectonic regimes

Deformation bands in porous sandstones have been extensively studied for four decades, whereas comparatively less is known about deformation bands in porous carbonate rocks, particularly in extensional settings. Here, we investigate porous grainstones of the Globigerina Limestone Formation in Malta, which contain several types of deformation bands in the hangingwall of the Maghlaq Fault: (i) bed-parallel pure compaction bands (PCB); (ii) pressure solution-dominated compactive shear bands (SCSB) and iii) cataclasis-dominated compactive shear bands (CCSB). Geometric and kinematic analyses show that the bands formed sequentially in the hangingwall of the evolving Maghlaq growth fault. PCBs formed first due to fault-controlled subsidence and vertical loading; a (semi-)tectonic control on PCB formation is thus documented for the first time in an extensional setting. Pressure solution (dominating SCSBs) and cataclasis (dominating CCSBs) appear to have operated separately, and not in concert. Our findings therefore suggest that, in some carbonate rocks, cataclasis within deformation bands may develop irrespective of whether pressure solution processes are involved. We suggest this may be related to stress state, and that whereas pressure solution is a significant facilitator of grain size reduction in contractional settings, grain size reduction within deformation bands in extensional settings is less dependent on pressure solution processes.     

某些幔源矿物晶体中异常消光现象的显微喇曼谱研究

异常消光是一种在幔源晶体中常可观察到的物性改变现象,然而它与晶体的真实结构之间的内在联系却至今仍未被认识清楚。本项工作试图用一种灵敏的微区结构探测新技术——显微激光喇曼谱方法研究幔源晶体中由构造作用导致的异常消光现象的结构本质。实验结果说明:上地幔高温蠕变作用对橄榄石及辉石主要感应了晶体内微区晶轴取向的变化,还未能产生明显的结构相变;不同的异常消光现象反映晶轴扭转的单位大小不同,并主要依赖于矿物晶体本身的结构特性。     

Growth processes,dimensional parameters and scaling relationships of two conjugate sets of compactive shear bands in porous carbonate grainstones,Favignana Island,Italy

Three main sets of deformation bands are identified in the Lower Pleistocene carbonate grainstones of Favignana Island (Italy). A bedding-parallel set is interpreted to contain compaction bands, based on the lack of evidence for shear. The other two sets are oriented at a high-angle to bedding, forming a conjugate pair comprised of compactive strike-slip shear bands. In this study, we focus on the compactive shear bands documenting their development, as well as analyzing their dimensional parameters and scaling relationships.Single compactive shear bands are thin, tabular zones with porosity less than the surrounding host rocks, and have thicknesses and displacements on the order of a few mm. The growth process for these structures involves localizing further deformation within zones of closely-spaced compactive shear bands and, possibly, along continuous slip surfaces within fault rocks overprinting older zones of bands. During growth, single bands, zones of bands and faults can interact and link, producing larger structures. The transitions from one growth step to another, which are controlled by changes in the deformation behavior (i.e. banding vs. faulting), are recorded by different values of the dimensional parameters for the structures (i.e. length, thickness and displacement). These transitions are also reflected by the ratios and distributions of the dimensional parameters. Considering the lesser porosity values of the structures with respect to the host rock, the results of this contribution could be helpful for mapping, assessing, and simulating carbonate grainstone reservoirs with similar structures.     

Preservation of organic matter in mound-forming coral skeletons

This study demonstrates that intracrystalline organic matter in coral skeletons is well preserved over century timescales. The extent of preservation of organic matter in coral skeletons was investigated by measuring total organic carbon (TOC), total hydrolyzable amino acid (THAA), chloropigment, and lipid concentrations in 0-300 year old annual growth bands from Montastraea annularis (Florida Keys) and Porites lutea (Red Sea). Organic matter intrinsic to the calcium carbonate mineral (intracrystalline) was analyzed separately from total skeletal organic matter. The Red Sea coral had less TOC (0.02-0.04 wt%) than the Florida Keys coral (0.04-0.11 wt%), but a higher percent of intracrystalline organic matter in all annual bands measured. Carbon in the form of THAA, most likely from mineral-precipitating proteins, contributed 30-45% of the TOC in both corals. Carbon in lipids represented about 3% of the TOC in the coral skeletons. Chlorophyll-a and b were present in annual bands where endolithic algae were present, but these compounds were minor contributors to TOC. The distribution of specific organic compounds showed that organic matter was well preserved throughout the time period sampled in both the total and intracrystalline pools. Variations in THAA were not correlated with TOC over time, suggesting that organic matter that is involved in biomineralization, like amino acids, may be deposited in response to different environmental factors than are other components of skeletal organic matter. Differences in the quantity and composition of organic matter between the two corals investigated here were assessed using principal components analysis and suggest that location, species and skeletal structure may all influence organic matter content and possibly the degree of physical protection of organic matter by the coral skeleton. Further, our study suggests that intracrystalline organic matter may be better protected from diagenesis than non-intracrystalline organic matter and may therefore be a more reliable source of organic matter for paleoceanographic studies than total skeletal organic matter.     

Microstructure of mylonites and their descriptive terminology

The microstructural transition from amphibolite facies, gneissic country rock, with increasing deformation, to a fine-grained phyllitic mylonite is described in detail. All microstructures (e.g. polygonization, subgrains, serrated grain boundaries, kink bands, grain aggregates) are attributed to ductile deformation, recovery and recrystallization processes. The similarity of these structures to other described mylonites suggests that brittle deformation is not widespread in mylonitic rocks, and that terminology with brittle connotations should be discontinued. A new definition for the term ‘mylonite’ is proposed.     

Quartz fabric transition in a cooling syntectonic granite (Hermitage Massif,France)

The Hermitage Granite, situated in the northwest Massif Central (France) is a syntectonic Hercynian leucogranite emplaced along an active transcurrent shear zone. During emplacement and cooling, the progressive deformation is marked by the development of a primary homogeneous foliation gradually affected by ductile shear bands (C-S mylonites). Increase in strain heterogeneity during cooling corresponds to a change of dominant deformation mechanism of the quartz phase from grain growth and migration recrystallization to intracrystalline 〈a〉 slip and rotation recrystallization. Migration recrystallization is characterized by preferred orientations of c axes close to the principal extension direction. We discuss relevant deformation mechanisms and rheological implications for syntectonic plutons. In particular, we argue that the transitions between homogeneous and heterogeneous accumulation of strain cannot generally be correlated with transition between magmatic and solid-state flow.     

绿辉石流变学研究的某些进展

简要概述了绿辉石的晶体结构、反相畴、显微构造及其变形机制等方面的研究现状与进展。结合大别山榴辉岩中的最新研究成果，着重讨论了其构造物理学研究意义，认为绿辉石晶体结构的有序化不仅是温度和化学成分的函数，而且是晶内应变程度的函数。     

Coupled micro-faulting and pressure solution creep overprinted on quartz schist deformed by intracrystalline plasticity during exhumation of the Sambagawa metamorphic rocks,southwest Japan

In the Sambagawa schist, southwest Japan, while ductile deformation pervasively occurred at D₁ phase during exhumation, low-angle normal faulting was locally intensive at D₂ phase under the conditions of frictional–viscous transition of quartz (c. 300 °C) during further exhumation into the upper crustal level. Accordingly, the formation of D₂ shear bands was overprinted on type I crossed girdle quartz c-axis fabrics and microstructures formed by intracrystalline plasticity at D₁ phase in some quartz schists. The quartz c-axis fabrics became weak and finally random with increasing shear, accompanied by the decreasing degree of undulation of recrystallized quartz grain boundaries, which resulted from the increasing portion of straight grain boundaries coinciding with the interfaces between newly precipitated quartz and mica. We interpreted these facts as caused by increasing activity of pressure solution: the quartz grains were dissolved mostly at platy quartz–mica interface, and precipitated with random orientation and pinned by mica, thus having led to the obliteration of existing quartz c-axis fabrics. In the sheared quartz schist, the strength became reduced by the enhanced pressure solution creep not only due to the reduction of diffusion path length caused by increasing number of shear bands, but also to enhanced dissolution at the interphase boundaries.     

A Microstructural sequence of quartz schists in central Shikoku, south-west Japan

This paper describes a microstructural sequence of quartz schists (metamorphosed chert) in the Asemi river region of the Sambagawa metamorphic terrain in central Shikoku, southwest Japan. The Asemi river region is divided into three areas on the basis of characteristics of microstructures of quartz schists observed under the optical microscope: areas I, II and III, in ascending order of metamorphic grade. Microstructures in area I consist of finer, equant, equidimensional and polygonal quartz grains free from internal deformation features. Microstructures in area II are characterized by oblate or elliptical grains with remarkable undulatory extinction surrounded by serrated grain boundaries. Microstructures in area III consist mainly of coarser and equant grains without distinct internal deformation features.The formation conditions of these microstructures are discussed in the light of recent experimental results.     

条带状构造及矿物变形的研究——以冀东太古宙高级区为例

笔者发现冀东地区的混合岩化条带只是局部现象,而大部分条带构造与变形作用有关,根据成因不同,可将条带状构造划分为三种类型:①复合条带;②构造置换条带;③变质构造分异条带,其中变质构造分异条带分布最为广泛,组成这种条带的矿物在不同构造相中各有其变形特点。     

Kinematics of shear bands

Shear bands appear at limit states of soil bodies. They are analysed as thin zones of localised deformation that takes place as simple (i.e. dilatant) shear. It can be observed, however, that shear bands are discontinuous and also may be “reflected” at rigid boundaries. These phenomena appear as incompatible with the assumed shear deformation. The analysis in this paper reveals the kinematics of such “incompatibilities” in terms of continuous deformation fields.     

Polygonal deformation bands

We report for the first time the occurrence of polygonal faults in sandstone, which is compelling given that layer-bound polygonal fault systems have been observed so far only in fine-grained sediments such as clay and chalk. The polygonal faults are shear deformation bands that developed under shallow burial conditions via strain hardening in dm-wide zones. The edges of the polygons are 1–5 m long. The shear deformation bands are organized as conjugate faults along each edge of the polygon and form characteristic horst-like structures. The individual deformation bands have slip magnitudes ranging from a few mm to 1.5 cm; the cumulative average slip magnitude in a zone is up to 10 cm. The deformation bands heaves, in aggregate form, accommodate a small isotropic horizontal extension (strain <0.005). The individual shear deformation bands show abutting T-junctions, veering, curving, and merging where they mechanically interact. Crosscutting relationships are rare. The interactions of the deformation bands are similar to those of mode I opening fractures. The documented fault networks have important implications for evaluating the geometry of km-scale polygonal fault systems in the subsurface, top seal integrity, as well as constraining paleo-tectonic stress regimes.