Laboratory Hydrofractures as Analogs to Tectonic Tremors

Author:

Yuan C.1ORCID,Cochard T.23ORCID,Denolle M.4ORCID,Gomberg J.5ORCID,Wech A.5ORCID,Xiao L.23ORCID,Weitz D.367ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences Harvard University Cambridge MA USA

2. China University of Petroleum Beijing China

3. School of Engineering and Applied Sciences University of Harvard Cambridge MA USA

4. Earth and Space Sciences University of Washington Seattle WA USA

5. U.S. Geological Survey Seattle WA USA

6. Department of Physics Harvard University Cambridge MA USA

7. Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering Harvard University Boston MA USA

Abstract

AbstractThe fracture of Earth materials occurs over a wide range of time and length scales. Physical conditions, particularly the stress field and Earth material properties, may condition rupture in a specific fracture regime. In nature, fast and slow fractures occur concurrently: tectonic tremor events are fast enough to emit seismic waves and frequently accompany slow earthquakes, which are too slow to emit seismic waves and are referred to as aseismic slip events. In this study, we generate simultaneous seismic and aseismic processes in a laboratory setting by driving a penny‐shaped crack in a transparent sample with pressurized fluid. We leverage synchronized high‐speed imaging and high‐frequency acoustic emission (AE) sensing to visualize and listen to the various sequences of propagation (breaks) and arrest (sticks) of a fracture undergoing stick‐break instabilities. Slow radial crack propagation is facilitated by fast tangential fractures. Fluid viscosity and pressure regulate the fracture dynamics of slow and fast events, and control the inter‐event time and the energy released during individual fast events. These AE signals share behaviors with observations of episodic tremors in Cascadia, United States; these include: (a) bursty or intermittent slow propagation, and (b) nearly linear scaling of radiated energy with area. Our laboratory experiments provide a plausible model of tectonic tremor as an indicative of hydraulic fracturing facilitating shear slip during slow earthquakes.

Funder

China University of Geosciences, Beijing

Publisher

American Geophysical Union (AGU)

Subject

General Earth and Planetary Sciences

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