Seismic fault slip at depths simulated by high-velocity friction experiments under hydrothermal conditions.

ABSTRACT: Seismic fault slip and rupture propagation often occur at crustal depths in the presence of hot and pressurized aqueous fluids (i.e., hydrothermal conditions). Previous experiments investigated fault frictional properties under hydrothermal conditions, but at imposed subseismic fault slip velocities (V ~μm/s). Here, using a rotary-shear apparatus equipped with a hydrothermal pressure vessel, we study friction at seismic slip velocities (V = 1.5 m/s) of gabbro- and marble-built faults under temperatures of 40 to 400 °C and pore water pressure of 30 MPa. We find that with increasing initial water temperature (T_amb), the dynamic friction during initial slip acceleration and subsequent high-velocity sliding decreases for both gabbro- and marble-built faults, whi

SUBMITTER: Yao L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12012542 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature