The Impact of Matrix Rheology on Stress Concentration in Embedded Brittle Clasts
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Abstract Frictional failure is the dominant deformation mechanism for rocks in the upper crust while in the middle crust rocks begin to deform viscously. Within this transition, brittle and viscous phases coexist, forming semi‐frictional materials. While semi‐frictional deformation on large scales might play an important role in understanding the transition between earthquakes and slow slip/creep, it can also be observed at smaller scales. Here, we use field observations of the Papoose Flat pluton in eastern California to study deformation of heterogeneous materials during shearing. Clast concentration varies between 2% and 12% by area. Field and microscopic observations show that the matrix deforms viscously, while the clasts fail in a brittle manner. We systematically document clast concentration and spacing with respect to clast fracturing and observe increasing frictional failure of clasts with increasing clast concentration. To test which matrix viscosities impose enough stresses on the clasts to lead to frictional deformation, we complement field observations with 2D numerical models. Maps with 7% by area randomly placed circular clasts are created and deformed under simple shear kinematic conditions. We test different matrix viscosities, from constant low and high viscosity (10 17 and 10 19 Pa.s, respectively), to dislocation creep for granite. Clasts in the vicinity of other clasts are affected by stresses around their neighbors. This effect decreases with increasing clast distance. Our field observations and numerical results suggest that the viscous phase can impose significant stresses onto the brittle phase, causing failure even at very low clast concentrations and in the absence of clast‐clast interactions.Keywords:
Brittleness
Shearing (physics)
Stress field
Matrix (chemical analysis)
Summary The rarity or absence of clastic grains in oolitic ironstones is often explained by the hypothesis of a ‘clastic trap’ in which the clastic grains are deposited before reaching the zone of iron oolith formation. If the hydrodynamic behaviour of the iron ooliths and clastic grains is considered, this is unnecessary. The two components are spatially separated due to their different densities and different behaviour, depending on whether they are in suspension or saltating, or rolling. Iron ooliths can be rolled more easily than the equivalent clastic grain size, whereas clastic grains are more easily saltated or moved in suspension than the equivalent size of iron oolith. These differences cause spatial separation of the two facies.
Ironstone
Suspension
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Abstract Numerous shallow‐marine limestone layers of the Furongian (Late Cambrian) Chaomidian Formation in the Jiulongshan section (Shandong Province, China) are breccias. Some of these breccias show abundant vertical to sub‐vertical clasts. Typically, these clasts end abruptly at the contact plane with the overlying deposit, either abutting the overlying sedimentary bed or via an erosional plane that truncates the clasts. A few exposures show concentrations of clasts that must have been uplifted to the extent that they transgressed the then sedimentary surface or (possibly) penetrated the overlying sediment which, in this case, consists of muds or marls. The clasts tend to show clusters with respect to the enclosing fabric. All clasts are parallel to each other in a specific cluster, while the various clusters may show different orientations of the clasts. It is deduced that both the exceptional position and the exceptional orientation of the clasts must be ascribed to the upward movement of the clasts under the influence of pore water escaping under high pressure through fluidized sediment.
Breccia
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Three clastic marly-shaly horizons occur within the Carnian carbonate rocks near Mežica and Črna na Koroškem, Slovenia. The marly-shaly beds directly overlie oolitic and oncoidal limestones. In the lowermost of these clastic horizons, several cephalophod species, including the most common Carnites floridus (Wulfen), were collected. In addition, bivalves, gastropods and sparse vertebrate remains are present. Within the second clastic horizon, there is a distinctive layer characterized by numerous specimens of the bivalve Hoernesia sturi (Wöhrmann), which was also found, though less commonly, in the lowermost clastic horizon. No fossil macrofauna was found in the third, uppermost clastic horizon. The oolitic and oncoidal layers at the base of all three clastic horizons also contain abundant echinoids and crinoids, as well as rare earliest thecideide brachiopods. The lithostratigraphic associations of the Carnian beds in the Mežica area express the same eustatically-driven cyclicity that is exhibited regionally in the “Raibl group” of the Eastern Alps.
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Deposition
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Abstract The spectacular eruption of Lusi began in NE Java, Indonesia, on 29 May 2006 and is still ongoing. Since its birth, Lusi has presented a pulsating activity marked by frequent eruptions of gas, water, mud and clasts. The aim of this study was to bridge subsurface and surface observations to describe Lusi's behaviour. Based on visual observations from 2014 to 2015, Lusi's erupting activity is characterised by four recurrent phases: (1) regular bubbling activity; (2) clastic geysering; (3) clastic geysering with mud bursts and intense vapour discharge; (4) quiescent phase. With a temporary network of five seismic stations deployed around the crater, we could identify tremor events related to phases 2 and 3. One of the tremor types shows periodic overtones that we associate with mud wagging in the feeder conduit. On the basis of our observations, we would describe Lusi as a sedimentary‐hosted hydrothermal system with clastic‐dominated geysering activity.
Mud volcano
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Shearing (physics)
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Settling
Lithology
Sequence (biology)
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