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Complex resistivity of fault gouge and its significance for earthquake lights and induced polarization
Author(s) -
Lockner David A.,
Byerlee James D.
Publication year - 1985
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/gl012i004p00211
Subject(s) - geology , induced polarization , electrical resistivity and conductivity , seismology , fault gouge , polarization (electrochemistry) , mineralogy , fault (geology) , geophysics , chemistry , engineering , electrical engineering
We have measured complex resistivity of 2 water‐saturated San Andreas fault gouges from 10 −3 to 10 6 Hz and confining pressures of 0.2 to 200 MPa. Consistent with earlier observations of clays and common rocks, large low‐frequency permittivities were observed in all cases. Comparisons were made to induced polarization (IP) measurements by inversion of the data into the time domain, where we found that principal features of the IP response curves were due to these large low‐frequency permittivities. The results also suggest that following large earthquakes, significant electrical charge could remain for many seconds and could result in a variety of reported electromagnetic effects.