The migration of fluid-filled grain boundaries in recrystallizing synthetic bischofite: first results of in-situ high-pressure, high-temperature deformation experiments in transmitted light

The effect of fluids on recrystallization behaviour is well known; however, the detailed microscale distribution of fluid in grain boundaries and the influence of fluid on grain boundary migration are still unresolved. In this study, in‐situ deformation experiments in transmitted light microscopy were undertaken, as this allows continuous and direct observation of the whole range of processes involved in fluid‐assisted grain boundary migration. A new see‐through deformation apparatus was developed to enable the control of fluid pressure. Bischofite containing small amounts of aqueous fluid was deformed at temperatures between 50 and 90 °C, over a range of fluid pressure from 0.5 to 1 MPa, and strain rates of 5 × 10^?6 to 1 × 10^?4 s^?1. The rates of grain boundary migration were measured at different temperatures and strain rates. Detailed observations during and after the deformation illustrate the evolution of migrating fluid‐filled grain boundaries and show that the incorporation of fluids from inclusions as well as their pinch‐off is dependent on the grain boundary velocity, the thickness of the grain boundary and the size and shape of the inclusions. Direct evidence is presented for the contraction of the grain boundary fluids into isolated inclusions after equilibrium conditions are attained.     

Deep structure of the northeastern Japan arc and its implications for crustal deformation and shallow seismic activity

Seismic tomography studies in the northeastern Japan arc have revealed the existence of an inclined sheet-like seismic low-velocity and high-attenuation zone in the mantle wedge at depths shallower than about 150 km. This sheet-like low-velocity, high-attenuation zone is oriented sub-parallel to the subducted slab, and is considered to correspond to the upwelling flow portion of the subduction-induced convection. The low-velocity, high-attenuation zone reaches the Moho immediately beneath the volcanic front (or the Ou Backbone Range) running through the middle of the arc nearly parallel to the trench axis, which suggests that the volcanic front is formed by this hot upwelling flow. Aqueous fluids supplied by the subducted slab are probably transported upward through this upwelling flow to reach shallow levels beneath the Backbone Range where they are expelled from solidified magma and migrate further upward. The existence of aqueous fluids may weaken the surrounding crustal rocks, resulting in local contractive deformation and uplift along the Backbone Range under the compressional stress field of the volcanic arc. A strain-rate distribution map generated from GPS data reveals a notable concentration of east–west contraction along the Backbone Range, consistent with this interpretation. Shallow inland earthquakes are also concentrated in the upper crust of this locally large contraction deformation zone. Based on these observations, a simple model is proposed to explain the deformation pattern of the crust and the characteristic shallow seismic activity beneath the northeastern Japan arc.     

Pressure sensitivity of olivine slip systems: first-principle calculations of generalised stacking faults

We have used a first-principle approach based on the calculation of generalised stacking faults (GSF) to study the influence of pressure on the mechanical properties of forsterite. Six cases corresponding to [100] glide over (010), (021) and (001), and [001] glide over (100), (010) and (110) have been considered. The relaxed energy barriers associated with plastic shear have been calculated by constraining the Si atoms to move perpendicular to the fault plane and allowing Mg and O atoms to move in every direction. These conditions, which preserve dilations as a relaxation process, introduce Si–O tetrahedral tilting as an additional relaxation mechanism. Relaxed GSF show little plastic anisotropy of [100] glide over different planes and confirms that [001] glide is intrinsically easier than [100] glide. The GSF are affected by the application of a 10 GPa confining pressure with a different response for each slip system that cannot be explained by sole elastic effect. In particular, [100](010) is found to harden significantly under pressure compared to [001](010). Our results give the first theoretical framework to understand the pressure-induced change of dominant slip systems observed by Couvy et al. (in Eur J Mineral 16(6):877–889, 2004) and P. Raterron et al. (in GRL, submitted). It appears necessary to account for the influence of pressure on the mechanical properties of silicates in the context of the deep Earth.     

金龙——丘岭金矿床成矿流体的储运规律及区域找金方向

金龙山——丘岭金矿区含金矿源为层上泥盆统南羊山组和下石炭统袁家沟组。组成含金矿源层岩石为高频互层的细碎屑岩-碳酸盐岩，其中细砂岩、粉砂岩、碳酸盐岩含成矿流体物性较好．页岩、板岩含成矿流体物性较差，构成屏蔽层。金鸡岭Ⅰ级复式向斜控制着金、砷、锑等异常范围；松枣Ⅱ级复式背斜控制着金的矿化带；金龙山-丘岭金矿Ⅲ级背斜控制着金的矿（化）体；镇安——板岩镇断裂的次级断裂是金矿化体的容矿有利位置。在成矿过程中，构造变形与成矿流体的形成、运移及储集密切相关。其规律是：①原生构造导致成矿流体的初次聚集。②第一期构造变形导致成矿流体的聚集。③第二期构造变形导致成矿流体运移及金矿床形成。此期变形是金的主要成矿期。④第三期构造变形使成矿流体进一步聚集和金矿体的富集。⑤第四期构造变形是石英方解石脉的形成时期。总结出矿床形成模式。据此提出了在4种不同的构造部位找金的方向。     

Intraplate deformation and 3D rheological structure of the Rhine Rift System and adjacent areas of the northern Alpine foreland

The lithosphere of the Northern Alpine foreland has undergone a polyphase evolution during which interacting stress-induced intraplate deformation and upper mantle thermal perturbations controlled folding of the thermally weakened lithosphere. In this paper we address relationships among deeper lithospheric processes, neotectonics and surface processes in the Northern Alpine foreland with special emphasis on tectonically induced topography. We focus on lithosphere memory and neotectonics, paying special attention to the thermo-mechanical structure of the Rhine Graben System and adjacent areas of the northern Alpine foreland lithosphere. We discuss implications for mechanisms of large-scale intraplate deformation and links with surface processes and topography evolution.     

A multiphase approach for evaluating the horizontal and rocking impedances of pile group foundations

This paper advocates the use of a multiphase model, already developed for static or quasi‐static geotechnical engineering problems, for simulating the behaviour of piled raft foundations subject to horizontal as well as rocking dynamic solicitations. It is shown that such a model, implemented in a FEM code, yields appropriate predictions for the foundation impedance characteristics, provided that shear and bending effects in the piles are taken into account, thus corroborating the findings of the asymptotic homogenization theory. Besides, it is notably pointed out that such a multiphase‐based computational tool makes it possible to assess the dynamic behaviour of pile groups in a much quicker way than when using direct numerical simulations, which may face oversized problems when large pile groups are concerned. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Validating the ability of the discontinuous deformation analysis method to model normal P‐wave propagation across rock fractures

The effects of fractures on wave propagation problems are increasingly abstracting the attention of scholars and engineers in rock engineering field. This study aims to fully validate the ability of discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) to model normal P‐wave propagation across rock fractures. The effects of a single fracture and multiple parallel fractures are all tested. The results indicate that DDA can accurately reflect the fracture effects, including the fractures stiffness, the fracture spacing and the fracture number, and the effects of incident wave frequency on one‐dimensional P‐wave propagation problems. Thus, DDA is able to deal well with normal incident P‐wave propagation problems. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Elastic lateral dynamic impedance functions for a rigid cylindrical shell type foundation

Elastic lateral dynamic impedance functions are defined as the ratio of the lateral dynamic force/moment to the corresponding lateral displacement/rotation at the top ending of a foundation at very small strains. Elastic lateral dynamic impedance functions have a defining influence on the natural frequencies of offshore wind turbines supported on cylindrical shell type foundations, such as suction caissons, bucket foundations, and monopiles. This paper considers the coupled horizontal and rocking vibration of a cylindrical shell type foundation embedded in a fully saturated poroelastic seabed in contact with a seawater half‐space. The formulation of the coupled seawater–shell–seabed vibration problem is simplified by treating the shell as a rigid one. The rigid shell vibration problem is approached by the integral equation method using ring‐load Green's functions for a layered seawater‐seabed half‐space. By considering the boundary conditions at the shell–soil interface, the shell vibration problem is reduced to Fredholm integral equations. Through an analysis of the corresponding Cauchy singular equations, the intrinsic singular characteristics of the problem are rendered explicit. With the singularities incorporated into the solution representation, an effective numerical method involving Gauss–Chebyshev method is developed for the governing Fredholm equations. Selected numerical results for the dynamic contact load distributions, displacements of the shell, and lateral dynamic impedance functions are examined for different shell length–radius ratio, poroelastic materials, and frequencies of excitation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.