Sandra Piazolo

Controls on lineation development in low to medium grade shear zones: a study from the Cap de Creus peninsula, NE Spain

Lineations composed of similarly oriented elongate mineral aggregates or grains are a common feature in deformed rocks, but it is unclear which factors control the development of such lineations. Field observations and microstructural analysis of samples, which were taken from discrete greenschist to lower amphibolite facies shear zones of the easternmost Variscan Pyrenees, show that strain is only one of several factors that control the strength and type of a lineation. Dynamic recrystallization, metamorphic reactions and rigid body rotation are also important controlling factors for the development of lineations. The most important of these is dynamic recrystallization. The way in which dynamic recrystallization influences lineation development is largely a function of the initial fabric in a specific rock type. Different lithologies with different initial fabrics produce distinctly different types and strengths of lineations even if deformed to the same finite strain in the same shear zone. An initial fine grain size and a monomineralic composition of the parent rock type commonly hinder the development of lineations. In contrast, in initially coarse-grained polymineralic rocks, well-developed lineations commonly develop. Therefore, the ratio of initial to dynamically recrystallized grain size determines to a large extend the development of such lineations.

Deformation-induced trace element redistribution in zircon revealed using atom probe tomography.

Trace elements diffuse negligible distances through the pristine crystal lattice in minerals: this is a fundamental assumption when using them to decipher geological processes. For example, the reliable use of the mineral zircon (ZrSiO4) as a U-Th-Pb geochronometer and trace element monitor requires minimal radiogenic isotope and trace element mobility. Here, using atom probe tomography, we document the effects of crystal–plastic deformation on atomic-scale elemental distributions in zircon revealing sub-micrometre-scale mechanisms of trace element mobility. Dislocations that move through the lattice accumulate U and other trace elements. Pipe diffusion along dislocation arrays connected to a chemical or structural sink results in continuous removal of selected elements (for example, Pb), even after deformation has ceased. However, in disconnected dislocations, trace elements remain locked. Our findings have important implications for the use of zircon as a geochronometer, and highlight the importance of deformation on trace element redistribution in minerals and engineering materials.

Are polymers suitable rock analogs

To evaluate if a polymer is suitable for analog modeling, it is essential to know the rheological properties of the material. Polymers used in analog modeling exhibit a complex rheological behavior; only part of which has been taken into account in most modeling studies. The mechanical behavior is strongly dependent on strain rate and temperature, and is characterized by specific dependencies of the storage and loss moduli, related to the elasticity and viscosity, on the deformation rate (frequency). We have measured the storage and loss moduli at a broad range of strain rates and strains, using an oscillatory parallel-disk rheometer. Investigated materials are polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), mixtures of PDMS and BaSO4 (filler), Rhodorsil Gomme and mixtures of Rhodorsil Gomme and plastilina, all commonly used in analog experiments. Our measurements show that the rheological properties of mixtures of plastilina and Rhodorsil Gomme depend on its deformation history. Therefore, these mixtures are problematic for analog modeling. For mixtures of PDMS and BaSO4, the significance of the elastic component increases with increasing filler content, and accordingly, these mixtures have a limited application for modeling of viscous deformation. Pure PDMS and Rhodorsil Gomme exhibit Newtonian flow behavior at strain rates commonly used in analog modeling. D 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Stability of high-Al titanite from low-pressure calcsilicates in light of fluid and host-rock composition

Abstract Titanite of variable Al and F content was found in granulite- to amphibolite-facies calcsilicates in Central Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica. The highest observed Al content corresponds to an XAl [= Al/(Al + Ti)] of 0.53. Previously, such high values of XAl were reported from high-pressure rocks, but the titanite of this study is from a lowpressure terrain. The compositional variations in titanite can be described for all samples by a set of three linearly independent exchange vectors added to the CaTiSiO5 endmember titanite. In most rocks, these vectors are Al1F1Ti-1O-1, Ti-0.25M0.25O-1OH1, and OH1F-1; in one sample, the Ti-0.25⃞0.25O-1OH1 vector is replaced by a Si-0.25⃞ 0.25O-1OH1 vector. The actual amount of exchange along these vectors and, therefore, the amount of Al in titanite, depends on P and T, on the composition of the coexisting fluid phase in terms of its H2O/HF fugacity ratio, and on host rock composition in terms of Al2O3/TiO2 activity ratio. It is inferred that, in suitable chemical environments, high-Al titanite is stable over a wide P-T range. Therefore, the Al content of titanite should not be used in geothermobarometry, even qualitatively. Additionally, because of the coupled substitutions Al1F1Ti-1O-1 and Al1OH1Ti-1O-1, the concentration of F in titanite is strongly dependent on the host rock chemistry. This rules out the easy use of titanite as a monitor of fluid composition.

The weighted Burgers vector: a new quantity for constraining dislocation densities and types using electron backscatter diffraction on 2D sections through crystalline materials

The Weighted Burgers Vector (WBV) is defined here as the sum, over all types of dislocations, of [(density of intersections of dislocation lines with a map) × (Burgers vector)]. Here we show that it can be calculated, for any crystal system, solely from orientation gradients in a map view, unlike the full dislocation density tensor, which requires gradients in the third dimension. No assumption is made about gradients in the third dimension and they may be non‐zero. The only assumption involved is that elastic strains are small so the lattice distortion is entirely due to dislocations. Orientation gradients can be estimated from gridded orientation measurements obtained by EBSD mapping, so the WBV can be calculated as a vector field on an EBSD map. The magnitude of the WBV gives a lower bound on the magnitude of the dislocation density tensor when that magnitude is defined in a coordinate invariant way. The direction of the WBV can constrain the types of Burgers vectors of geometrically necessary dislocations present in the microstructure, most clearly when it is broken down in terms of lattice vectors. The WBV has three advantages over other measures of local lattice distortion: it is a vector and hence carries more information than a scalar quantity, it has an explicit mathematical link to the individual Burgers vectors of dislocations and, since it is derived via tensor calculus, it is not dependent on the map coordinate system. If a sub‐grain wall is included in the WBV calculation, the magnitude of the WBV becomes dependent on the step size but its direction still carries information on the Burgers vectors in the wall. The net Burgers vector content of dislocations intersecting an area of a map can be simply calculated by an integration round the edge of that area, a method which is fast and complements point‐by‐point WBV calculations.

Sub-structure characterization of experimentally and naturally deformed ice using cryo-EBSD.

In this work, we present first results of high‐resolution EBSD for ice with a spatial resolution down to 0.25 μm. The study highlights the potential of EBSD to significantly increase our understanding of deformation and annealing processes associated with the build‐up of internal stresses due to strain incompatibility between grains. Two polycrystalline samples were analyzed: a natural sample of polar ice from the Vostok ice core (Antarctica) and an experimentally deformed sample of laboratory grown columnar ice. In summary, we observe the following: (1) inhomogeneous deformation through the grains is translated into lattice distortions that are concentrated mainly at grain boundaries and triple junctions (natural and experimental sample), (2) these distortions may be continuous (natural and experimental sample) or may form distinct tilt boundaries and sub‐grains of 10–50 μm size (experimental sample). These form mainly by rearrangement of basal edge dislocations into low‐energy configurations (i.e. tilt boundaries) in various prism planes. Continuous lattice distortions originate from screw or mixed edge and screw dislocations lying in the basal plane.

Dominance of microstructural processes and their effect on microstructural development: insights from numerical modelling of dynamic recrystallization

Abstract The influence of the dominance of different processes on the microstructural development of a quartzite was investigated using the numerical model ‘ELLE’. Dynamic recrystallization of a polycrystalline aggregate was simulated by the concurrent operation of viscous deformation, lattice rotation, subgrain formation, rotational recrystallization, nucleation of new grains from strongly strained grains and recovery. The different observed microstructural characteristics depend on the relative rates at which grain boundary migration, subgrain formation, recrystallization by rotation and nucleation affect the microstructure. Observed sizes of recrystallized grains are significantly influenced by these different relative rates of processes. These rates are determined by parameters that mainly depend on temperature, fluid absence or presence, shear stress and strain rate. Therefore, the specific conditions at which deformation took place have to be taken into account if recrystallized grain sizes are used for palaeopiezometry. Comparison and combination of our results with experimental data and observations in natural examples provide the possibility of interpreting microstructures quantitatively in terms of temperature and shear strain rate.

Brittle-ductile microfabrics in naturally deformed zircon: Deformation mechanisms and consequences for U-Pb dating

Abstract We present an electron backscatter diffraction, cathodoluminescence, and radiogenic U-Pb dating study of large zircon grains (0.8-1.5 mm) that show evidence of intracrystalline deformation, fracturing, grain size reduction and a large spread in U-Pb ages. The samples are from an amphibolite facies deformation zone within granulite facies anorthositic rocks (Bergen Arc, Norway). Large zircon grains show three main lattice distortion types: (I) distortions with rotations around <001> and an orientation change of ~0.3 °/μm subparallel to (100); (II) highly distorted, half circular shaped zones located at grain edges with at least 0.8-1°/μm distortions; and (III) low-angle boundary networks forming deformation zones up to 100 μm wide. Types II and III distortions exhibit significant disturbances of the otherwise homogeneous CL signature. Crystal plastic deformation with the slip system [010](100) resulted in type I distortions. Stress concentrations at grain contacts between rheologically hard grains caused localized crystal plastic deformation with minor amount of microfracturing forming type II distortions. Type III distortions formed by crystal plastic deformation often associated with inclusions using several slip systems. Distortions of types I and II show minor and moderate resetting of the original ca. 900 Ma zircon grains, respectively, due to enhanced pipe diffusion along dislocation walls. In type II distortions, accelerated lattice diffusion through the highly distorted crystal lattice, combined with exceptionally high boundary to volume ratio, caused significant chemical disturbance and age resetting to 410 Ma. Fine-grained aggregates contain grains with low internal deformation and an oscillatory zoned CL signature (Z-grains) or high internal deformation and a disturbed CL signature (D-grains). Z- and Dgrains are interpreted to have formed by heterogeneous nucleation and growth, and fracturing along strain-hardened low-angle boundaries present within types I and II, respectively. Z-grains show a clustered chemical signature with a 437 ± 11 Ma age interpreted to directly date the Caledonian amphibolite facies reworking.

Brittle fracturing and fracture healing of zircon: An integrated cathodoluminescence, EBSD, U-Th-Pb, and REE study

Abstract The entire population of magmatic oscillatory zoned zircons in a migmatitic granite from the Tjärnesjö intrusion, southwest Sweden, reveal fine-scale brittle fracturing. The oscillatory zoned fragments are rotated but not dispersed. Fractures between individual fragments are sealed by newly formed CL-bright zircon. Hydraulic fracturing is the most probable mechanism. The internal structure of fractured zircons and the LREE-enriched, low Th character of CL-bright zircon both suggest that cracks between oscillatory zoned zircon fragments were rapidly sealed after fracturing by CL-bright zircon, precipitated from hydrothermal fluids. Zircon fracturing and crack-sealing has been dated by SIMS ion-probe and U-Th-Pb isotopes to 920 ± 51 Ma (lower intercept age, 2σ, MSWD = 1.09) with a limit for the youngest possible age of 960 ± 16 Ma (207Pb/206Pb, 2σ, MSWD = 0.23) dated by sector-zoned rims forming overgrowths on the fractured cores.

The influence of matrix rheology and vorticity on fabric development of populations of rigid objects during plane strain deformation

Abstract The influence of vorticity and rheology of matrix material on the development of shape-preferred orientation (SPO) of populations of rigid objects was experimentally studied. Experiments in plane strain monoclinic flow were performed to model the fabric development of two populations of rectangular rigid objects with object aspect ratios (Rob) 2 and 3. The density of the rigid object populations was 14% of the total area. Objects were dispersed in a Newtonian and a non-Newtonian, power law matrix material with a power law exponent n of 1.2. The kinematic vorticity number (Wn) of the plane strain monoclinic flow was 1, 0.8 and 0.6 with finite simple shear strain of 4.6, 3.0 and 0.9, respectively. In experiments with Rob=3, the SPO is strongly influenced by Wn and the material properties of the matrix. Deformation of a power law matrix material and low Wn resulted in a stronger SPO than deformation of a linear viscous matrix and high Wn. Strain localization coupled with particle interaction plays a significant role in the development of a shape-preferred orientation. High strain simple shear zones separate trains of rigid objects that are surrounded by low strain zones with Wn lower than the bulk Wn. In fabrics involving populations of objects with Rob=2, rheology of the matrix materials does not systematically influence the intensity of the SPO.