Vitrinite reflectance and Raman spectra of carbonaceous material as indicators of frictional heating on faults: Constraints from friction experiments

Vitrinite reflectance and Raman spectra of carbonaceous material as indicators of frictional heating on faults: Constraints from friction experiments

Vitrinite reflectance (Ro) and Raman spectra of carbonaceous material (RSCM) are both widely used as indicators of the maximum attained temperatures in sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. However, the potential of these methods to estimate temperature increases associated with fault slip has not been...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Earth and planetary science letters Vol. 424; pp. 191 - 200
Main Authors: Furuichi, Hiroyuki, Ujiie, Kohtaro, Kouketsu, Yui, Saito, Tsubasa, Tsutsumi, Akito, Wallis, Simon
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier B.V 15-08-2015
Subjects:
carbonaceous material
Carbonaceous materials
Faults
Friction
friction experiments
frictional heating
Heating
Indicators
Raman spectra
Reflectance
Slip
vitrinite reflectance
Raman spectra
carbonaceous material
vitrinite reflectance
frictional heating
friction experiments
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Summary:Vitrinite reflectance (Ro) and Raman spectra of carbonaceous material (RSCM) are both widely used as indicators of the maximum attained temperatures in sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. However, the potential of these methods to estimate temperature increases associated with fault slip has not been closely studied. To examine this issue, friction experiments were conducted on a mixture of powdered clay-rich fault material and carbonaceous material (CM) at slip rates of 0.15 mm/s and 1.3 m/s in nitrogen (N2) gas with or without distilled water. After the experiments, we measured Ro and RSCM and compared to those in starting material. The results indicate that when fault material suffers rapid heating at >500 °C in ∼9 s at 1.3 m/s, Ro and the intensity ratio of D1 and D2 Raman bands of CM (ID2/ID1) markedly increase. Comminution with very small temperature rise in ∼32 min at 0.15 mm/s is responsible for very limited changes in Ro and ID2/ID1. Our results demonstrate that Ro and RSCM could be useful for the detection of frictional heating on faults when the power density is ≥0.52 MW/m2. However, the conventionally used Ro and RSCM geothermometers are inadequate for the estimation of peak temperature during seismic fault slip. The reaction kinetics incorporating the effects of rapid heating at high slip rates and studies of the original microtexture and composition of CM are required to establish a reliable thermometer for frictional heating on faults. •We perform friction experiments on coal-bearing fault material.•Maturation of carbonaceous material can occur at very short timescales of ∼9 s.•Vitrinite reflectance can be an indicator of frictional heating on faults.•Raman spectra of carbonaceous material are useful for detecting frictional heating.
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ISSN:0012-821X
1385-013X
DOI:10.1016/j.epsl.2015.05.037