The Plate Tectonics processes are controlled by the mechanical properties of the Earth´s mantle and crust. The mechanical properties of the mantle are monitored using olivine and those of the crust can be monitored using quartz, which is one of the most ubiquitous minerals in crustal rocks. The mechanical behavior of quartz depends critically on the presence of water, but the physics of the H2O weakening effect on quartz is poorly understood and not really quantified yet. This project intends to study and quantify the effects of water on the deformation of quartz and to incorporate them into constitutive equations fundamental for successful modeling of geodynamic processes. The research will start with series of deformation experiments with well controlled environmental conditions and amounts of water in deformation laboratories at the University of Tromso (cooperation with Prof. H. Stünitz) and University of Orléans (cooperation with Dr. H. Raimbourg and Dr. J. Précigout). The resulting samples will be studied by using the analytical facilities of the Institute of Petrology and Structural Geology. This topic addresses a first order geological and geophysical problem, directly related to understanding earthquakes and mountain building.
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