Research redefines the properties of faults when rock melts
Tuesday, June 30, 2015 - 12:50
in Earth & Climate
A new discovery in the study of fault slip seeks to redefine our understanding of how melt-bearing faults behave, say scientists. Fault slip occurs in many natural environments -- including during earthquakes -- when large stress build-ups are rapidly released as two sliding tectonic plates grinds together. In this process a large amount of the energy released can be converted to heat, that leads to frictional melting.