Integrating physics and geology for an improved understanding of rock deformation

The relationship between the structure of rocks near the Earth’s surface and their geophysical properties is little understood. Rock samples from a large, exposed fault will be collected from Serifos, Greece, a region strongly affected by earthquakes and recent tectonism. These samples preserve varying degrees of deformation and structural complexity. The amountof deformation affects the orientations of a rock’s crystals as well as their magnetic properties, consequently influencing the behavior of seismic (earthquake) waves propagating through these rocks. Quantitatively characterizing these parameters will contribute to a better understanding of seismic anisotropy, which is the variation in seismic wave velocities depending on their propagation direction in a material. This in turn will enable more accurate large-scale models of the Earth’s interior and further understanding of earthquakes in densely populated areas, like Greece. The project will comprise Gaudreau’s Bachelor’s Honours Thesis and results will be presented at the international European Geoscience Union (EGU) in Vienna in April 2016.

Faculty Supervisor:

David Schneider

Student:

Partner:

Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris

Discipline:

Earth science

Sector:

Education

University:

University of Ottawa

Program: