Low-temperature plasticity of olivine revisited with in situ TEM nanomechanical testing.

ABSTRACT: The rheology of the lithospheric mantle is fundamental to understanding how mantle convection couples with plate tectonics. However, olivine rheology at lithospheric conditions is still poorly understood because experiments are difficult in this temperature range where rocks and mineral become very brittle. We combine techniques of quantitative in situ tensile testing in a transmission electron microscope and numerical modeling of dislocation dynamics to constrain the low-temperature rheology of olivine. We find that the intrinsic ductility of olivine at low temperature is significantly lower than previously reported values, which were obtained under strain-hardened conditions. Using this method, we can anchor rheological laws determined at higher temperature and can provide a better const

SUBMITTER: Idrissi H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4795657 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature