Earthquake lubrication and healing explained by amorphous nanosilica

Christie D. Rowe (), Kelsey Lamothe, Marieke Rempe, Mark Andrews, Thomas M. Mitchell, Giulio Toro, Joseph Clancy White and Stefano Aretusini
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Christie D. Rowe: McGill University
Kelsey Lamothe: McGill University
Marieke Rempe: Università degli Studi di Padova
Mark Andrews: McGill University
Thomas M. Mitchell: University College London
Giulio Toro: Università degli Studi di Padova
Joseph Clancy White: University of New Brunswick
Stefano Aretusini: Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia

Nature Communications, 2019, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract During earthquake propagation, geologic faults lose their strength, then strengthen as slip slows and stops. Many slip-weakening mechanisms are active in the upper-mid crust, but healing is not always well-explained. Here we show that the distinct structure and rate-dependent properties of amorphous nanopowder (not silica gel) formed by grinding of quartz can cause extreme strength loss at high slip rates. We propose a weakening and related strengthening mechanism that may act throughout the quartz-bearing continental crust. The action of two slip rate-dependent mechanisms offers a plausible explanation for the observed weakening: thermally-enhanced plasticity, and particulate flow aided by hydrodynamic lubrication. Rapid cooling of the particles causes rapid strengthening, and inter-particle bonds form at longer timescales. The timescales of these two processes correspond to the timescales of post-seismic healing observed in earthquakes. In natural faults, this nanopowder crystallizes to quartz over 10s–100s years, leaving veins which may be indistinguishable from common quartz veins.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-08238-y

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