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Grain contact adhesion hysteresis: A mechanism for attenuation of seismic waves
Author(s) -
Sharma Mukul M.,
Tutuncu Azra N.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/94gl02056
Subject(s) - attenuation , dissipation , grain size , seismic wave , saturation (graph theory) , amplitude , hysteresis , overburden , materials science , geology , anelastic attenuation factor , mineralogy , geotechnical engineering , mechanics , geophysics , condensed matter physics , composite material , optics , physics , thermodynamics , mathematics , combinatorics
We propose a new mechanism for attenuation of seismic waves in rocks. It is shown that grain contact adhesion hysteresis leads to energy dissipation without having to invoke frictional sliding at grain contacts. Adhesion hysteresis gives rise to frequency independent attenuation that increases with strain amplitude for large strains and decreases with overburden stress. We can obtain qualitatively correct trends that show the effect of fluid saturation, pore structure and grain size through simple models for granular sedimentary rocks.