HR: 0800h
AN: T51B-0552 [Abstracts]
TI: Compressional and shear wave velocities in serpentinized peridotites
AU: * Watanabe, T
EM: twatnabe@sci.u-toyama.ac.jp
AF: Dept. Earth Sci., Univ. Toyama, Gofuku 3190, Toyama, 930-8555, Japan
AU: Oguri, H
EM: m0540405@ems.u-toyama.ac.jp
AF: Dept. Earth Sci., Univ. Toyama, Gofuku 3190, Toyama, 930-8555, Japan
AU: Yano, H
EM: m0741407@ems.u-toyama.ac.jp
AF: Dept. Earth Sci., Univ. Toyama, Gofuku 3190, Toyama, 930-8555, Japan
AU: Yoneda, A
EM: yoneda@misasa.okayama-u.ac.jp
AF: ISEI, Okayama Univ., Yamada 827, Misasa, 682-0193, Japan
AB:
Serpentinized peridotites in the wedge mantle play key roles in the transport of water and the slab-mantle
coupling. Geophysical mapping of serpentinized regions is essential for good understanding of subduction zone
processes. Tomographic studies have related low-velocity and high Poisson's ratio (high Vp/Vs) to serpentinized
peridotites [e.g., Kamiya and Kobayashi (2000)]. Their interpretations are based on velocity measurements
mostly on Low-T type (containing lizardite and/or chrysotile) serpentinized peridotites [e.g., Christensen (1996)].
However, it is questionable whether velocities of Low-T type are applicable to warm subduction zones like Costa
Rica, where the other serpentine mineral antigorite is expected. From crystallographic studies, higher elastic
stiffness is expected in antigorite. Watanabe et al. (2007) have shown that antigorite-bearing serpentinized
peridotites have higher velocity and lower Poissonfs ratio than Low-T type serpentinized peridotites. However,
their argument was based on the arithmetic mean of velocities in three mutually orthogonal directions.
Anisotropic nature of rock samples should be properly taken into account in calculating the average velocity. The
temperature dependence of velocities should also be investigated. In order to solve these problems, we are now
conducting (1) determination of all elastic moduli from velocity measurements in various directions and (2)
velocity measurements under high pressure and temperature conditions.
Compressional and shear wave velocities are measured on octahedral specimens by the pulse transmission
technique in various directions of propagation and polarization. Specimens were prepared from antigorite-
bearing serpentinized peridotites collected in Hida outer belt. Measurements are conducted at the room
temperature and under the confining pressure up to 180 MPa. All elastic moduli with orthorhombic symmetry are
determined, and isotropic velocities and Poisson's ratio are calculated assuming that similar rocks are randomly
packed. The higher velocity and lower Poisson's ratio of antigorite-bearing serpentinized peridotites has been
confirmed.
Velocities of an antigorite rock are measured up to 600°C at 1 GPa. The rock sample shows numerous
parallel lines, which are interpreted to be parallel to b-axis of antigorite grains. The compressional wave velocity
was 8.4 km/s and 6.6 km/s in the direction parallel and perpendicular to the lines, respectively. No significant
temperature dependence of the velocity was observed in the direction parallel to the lines, while the
compressional wave velocity decreases by 4% from the room temperature to 600°C in the direction
perpendicular to the lines. Observed anisotropic behaviors are consistent with crystallographic natures of
antigorite.
DE: 5100 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ROCKS
DE: 5102 Acoustic properties
DE: 7270 Tomography (6982, 8180)
DE: 8170 Subduction zone processes (1031, 3060, 3613, 8413)
SC: Tectonophysics [T]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting