TY  - JOUR
A1  - Cionoiu, S.
A1  - Moulas, E.
A1  - Stünitz, H.
A1  - Tajčmanová, L.
T1  - Locally Resolved Stress‐State in Samples During Experimental Deformation: Insights Into the Effect of Stress on Mineral Reactions
Y1  - 2022-08-22
VL  - 127
IS  - 8
JF  - Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth
DO  - 10.1029/2022JB024814
PB  - 
N2  - Understanding conditions in the Earth's interior requires data derived from laboratory experiments. Such experiments provide important insights into the conditions under which mineral reactions take place as well as processes that control the localization of deformation in the deep Earth. We performed Griggs‐type general shear experiments in combination with numerical models, based on continuum mechanics, to quantify the effect of evolving sample geometry of the experimental assembly. The investigated system is constituted by CaCO3 and the experimental conditions are near the calcite‐aragonite phase transition. All experimental samples show a heterogeneous distribution of the two CaCO3 polymorphs after deformation. This distribution is interpreted to result from local stress variations. These variations are in agreement with the observed phase‐transition patterns and grain‐size gradients across the experimental sample. The comparison of the mechanical models with the sample provides insights into the distribution of local mechanical parameters during deformation. Our results show that, despite the use of homogeneous sample material (here calcite), stress variations develop due to the experimental geometry. The comparison of experiments and numerical models indicates that aragonite formation is primarily controlled by the spatial distribution of mechanical parameters. Furthermore, we monitor the maximum pressure and σ1 that is experienced in every part of our model domain for a given amount of time. We document that local pressure (mean stress) values are responsible for the transformation. Therefore, if the role of stress as a thermodynamic potential is investigated in similar experiments, an accurate description of the state of stress is required.
N2  - Plain Language Summary: To understand processes in the Earth's interior, we can simulate the extreme conditions via laboratory experiments by compressing and heating millimeter‐sized samples. Such experiments provide important insights into mineral reactions and processes that control deformation in the Earth. We performed rock deformation experiments close to calcite‐aragonite phase (CaCO3) transition. Deforming the sample leads to stress variations due to the experimental geometry. These variations are documented by locally occurring phase transition and variation in the grain‐size. We performed computer simulations of the deforming sample to quantify, for the first time, the effect of sample geometry on the distribution of mechanical variables, such as stress, pressure, or deformation, inside the sample. The new findings document that any mechanical variable cannot be treated as homogeneous within the sample because the variations can be significant. Deforming the sample leads to stress concentrations. By comparing the experimental observations and simulation results, we show that locally high pressure triggers the phase transition to aragonite, the high‐pressure polymorph. This has important consequences for further thermodynamic interpretations of systems under stress, where the role of deformation, pressure, or maximum principal stress on mineral reactions is investigated.
N2  - Key Points: Heterogeneous stress distribution in deformation experiments is investigated by numerical models, locally resolving mechanical variables. Resolving the mechanical variables in experiments suggests a link between local pressure (mean stress) variations and phase transition. Thermodynamic interpretations of deformed samples require a detailed understanding of local mechanical parameters.
UR  - http://resolver.sub.uni-goettingen.de/purl?gldocs-11858/10422
ER  -