Variation in seismic wave speed as a function of propagation direction, or seismic anisotropy, is an intrinsic property of rocks deformed at high temperature due to preferred mineral alignment and is readily detectable by methods that utilize natural seismic sources (e.g., earthquakes). With a remarkably growing array of techniques, seismic studies are using this phenomenon to detect new structural features in the Earth?s crust and mantle in all types of active and past tectonic settings, including subduction zones, arcs, collisional orogens, active transform faults, and large-scale extensional systems. However, confident interpretations of these features are hampered by the incomplete knowledge of the tectonic processes that govern the development and preservation of seismic anisotropy. This project is utilizing field- and laboratory-based analyses to explore three topical areas that impact the evolution of seismic anisotropy in crustal rocks: 1) prograde and retrograde chemical reactions (metamorphism), 2) the competing roles of different minerals, and 3) the influence of strain type, magnitude, and multiple deformation structures. The goal is to generate predictable relationships between deformation, metamorphism, and seismic anisotropy in crustal rocks that can be further tested by seismic observations and simulations. Such information will lead to increased understanding of seismic images which will allow a better understanding of crustal architecture and interpretation of tectonic processes.
Seismic anisotropy is fundamentally a microstructural phenomenon best understood by crossing traditional boundaries between geology and physics. While graduate students will be involved during the academic year, the undergraduate component of the project during summers will focus on the University of Colorado?s Research Experiences in Solid Earth Sciences for Students (RESESS) program, the goal of which is to increase the number of students from underrepresented minority populations entering graduate school in the Earth sciences. The role of this project in the program is designed to positively impact both individual RESESS students and the group as a whole through 1) science mentoring, 2) an annual two-day Front Range multi-disciplinary field trip on Colorado geology, geomorphology, and geophysics for all RESESS interns, and 3) providing a summer fellowship for a graduate student to work with all the interns to provide feedback and to help develop their science presentation skills. The broader goal in this project is to expose graduate and undergraduate students to cross-disciplinary science models and multi-cultural research communities, in as many ways as possible, in order to better prepare these Earth scientists of the future for research challenges in the 21st century.
