Thread: AGU 2021 Session S014 - Mechanical complexity and structural heterogeneity in diffuse fault zones: observation, modeling and experiments

Dear Colleagues,

We would like to draw your attention to our AGU session: "S014. Mechanical
complexity and structural heterogeneity in diffuse fault zones:
observation, modeling and experiments." (
https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm21/prelim.cgi/Session/123991)

Multiple scales, multi-physics interactions and nonlinearities govern
earthquake source processes, rendering the understanding of how faults slip
a grand challenge of seismology. While our common view of earthquakes
distinguishes artificially between on-fault frictional failure and the
off-fault response of rock, earthquake fault zones are more complex, both
geometrically and rheologically, than an idealized infinitely thin fault
plane embedded in linear elastic material. Volumetric failure may lead to
complexity in the nucleation process, earthquake rupture, slip
distribution, energy balance and aseismic deformation. A realistic
understanding of co-seismic, post-seismic and interseismic slip in diffuse
fault zones may account for multi-physics coupling, nonlinear
visco-elasto-plastic rock rheologies, fluid and thermodynamic effects, and
multi-scale heterogeneities.

This session encourages contributions shedding light on, but not limited
to, volumetric faulting processes and fault zone hierarchical structures
across different scales in both space and time. We welcome
interdisciplinary contributions that explore observations, laboratory
experiments, numerical modeling, and theoretical studies.

We hope you will consider submitting an abstract. The deadline is August 4,
2021. Let us know if you have any questions.

Best regards,

Conveners:
Duo Li (LMU)
Alice-Agnes Gabriel (LMU)
Yihe Huang (U. of Michigan)
Yifang Cheng (USC)