Open AccessLoading and unloading of sedimentary basins: The effect of rheological hysteresis
Author(s) -
Fowler A. C.,
Yang XinShe
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: solid earth
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2001jb000389
Subject(s) - compaction , geology , porosity , permeability (electromagnetism) , rheology , sedimentary rock , discontinuity (linguistics) , geotechnical engineering , petrology , mineralogy , materials science , composite material , geochemistry , mathematical analysis , genetics , mathematics , membrane , biology
We present a model for the study of the effect of rheological hysteresis on compaction in sedimentary basins, when surface loading and unloading occurs. When compaction is slow (sedimentation rate is large and/or permeability is small), the hysteresis has little effect on the basal compaction layer, but in the more realistic case where compaction is fast (i.e., sedimentation is slow and/or permeability is large), surface unloading leads to downward propagation of a decompaction front, across which the vertical porosity gradient jumps, while subsequent surface reloading leads to downward propagation of a discontinuity in porosity, despite the fact that the porosity is governed by a diffusive equation of Richards type.