Dear Colleagues,

are you working on semi-brittle deformation, or the interaction between friction and flow? If so, please consider submitting an abstract to our session (T009: Between Rheology and Tribology: Semi-Brittle Deformation in Nature, Experiments, and Theory) at this year's AGU meeting.

Invited speakers:

Adam Beall, Cardiff University

Taka Kanaya, University of Maryland

Conveners:

Jacqueline Reber, Iowa State University

Matej Pec, MIT

Session description:

Constraining the rheological behavior and slip dynamics of faults is of fundamental importance for the understanding of plate tectonics as well as earthquake generation. This task, however, is exceedingly difficult as lithosphere‐scale fault zones crosscut many lithologies and operate over broad ranges of pressure, temperature, and strain rates. Rocks at high-pressure and high-temperature conditions flow viscously by a number of deformation mechanisms whereas at low-pressure and low-temperature conditions rocks crack, fracture, lose cohesion and slide frictionally. At intermediate crustal depth, deformation is hence achieved by a complex spatial and temporal interplay between “viscous” and “brittle” processes. The interaction between these end-member cases where viscous flow cannot accommodate all the imposed displacement and abundant pervasive fracturing occurs leads to “semi-brittle” deformation. This session welcomes contributions investigating the interplay between brittle and viscous deformation processes from rock physics experiments, numerical and analog models, theoretical considerations, as well as field observations.

See you in San Francisco,

Jacqueline and Matej