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Effect of the α ‐ β quartz transition on the creep properties of quartzite and granite
Author(s) -
Ross John V.,
Bauer Stephen J.,
Carter Neville L.
Publication year - 1983
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/gl010i012p01129
Subject(s) - creep , quartz , geology , deformation (meteorology) , strain rate , diffusion creep , mineralogy , materials science , composite material , microstructure , grain boundary
Cylinders of dry Sioux Quartzite and Westerly Granite have been deformed in creep under transient conditions at 200 MPa confining pressure in the temperature interval 480° to 783°C. This temperature range spans the α ‐ β quartz transition which affects the creep behavior of both rocks profoundly, as was observed previously for synthetic single crystals of quartz. Activation energies and creep rates measured at 0.3% strain are appreciably lower in the β‐quartz stability field then in the α‐field. Deformation is semibrittle over the conditions explored. These results establish that quartz controls the creep rate of granite at least to low strains in the transient creep regime.