scholarly journals Formation of Ultramylonites in an Upper Mantle Shear Zone, Erro-Tobbio, Italy

Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1036
Author(s):  
Jolien Linckens ◽  
Sören Tholen
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Shear Zone ◽  
Upper Mantle ◽  
Microstructural Analysis ◽  
Shear Zones ◽  
Geodynamic Setting ◽  
Mixing Processes ◽  
Phase Mixing ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Order Of Magnitude

Deformation in the upper mantle is localized in shear zones. In order to localize strain, weakening has to occur, which can be achieved by a reduction in grain size. In order for grains to remain small and preserve shear zones, phases have to mix. Phase mixing leads to dragging or pinning of grain boundaries which slows down or halts grain growth. Multiple phase mixing processes have been suggested to be important during shear zone evolution. The importance of a phase mixing process depends on the geodynamic setting. This study presents detailed microstructural analysis of spinel bearing shear zones from the Erro-Tobbio peridotite (Italy) that formed during pre-alpine rifting. The first stage of deformation occurred under melt-free conditions, during which clinopyroxene and olivine porphyroclasts dynamically recrystallized. With ongoing extension, silica-undersaturated melt percolated through the shear zones and reacted with the clinopyroxene neoblasts, forming olivine–clinopyroxene layers. Furthermore, the melt reacted with orthopyroxene porphyroclasts, forming fine-grained polymineralic layers (ultramylonites) adjacent to the porphyroclasts. Strain rates in these layers are estimated to be about an order of magnitude faster than within the olivine-rich matrix. This study demonstrates the importance of melt-rock reactions for grain size reduction, phase mixing and strain localization in these shear zones.

Phase mixing in upper mantle shear zones: Olivine nucleation during dynamic recrystallization of orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene porphyroclasts

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sören Tholen ◽  
Jolien Linckens
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Dynamic Recrystallization ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Upper Mantle ◽  
Shear Zones ◽  
Grain Boundary Sliding ◽  
Diffusion Creep ◽  
Phase Assemblage ◽  
Secondary Phases ◽  
Phase Mixing

<p>Small grain size and a well-mixed phase assemblage are key features of upper mantle (ultra)mylonitic layers. In those layers, Zener pinning inhibits grain growth, which could lead to diffusion creep. This increases the strain rate for a given stress significantly. Prerequisite is phase mixing which can occur by dynamic recrystallization (dynRXS) plus grain boundary sliding (GBS), metamorphic or melt/fluid-rock reactions, creep cavitation plus nucleation, or by a combination of those processes. In order to get insights into the interplay of phase mixing and dynRXS we investigate microfabrics (EBSD, optical microscopy) displaying the transition from clasts to mixed assemblages. Samples are taken from the Lanzo peridotite shear zone (Italy).</p><p>Olivine dynamically recrystallizes from protomylonitic to ultramylonitic samples. Its grain size varies systematically between monomineralic (~20µm) and polymineralic layers (~10µm). Olivine is the dominant mixing phase for both, dynamically recrystallizing orthopyroxene (ol~55vol.%) and clinopyroxene clasts (ol~45vol.%). In contrast, recrystallizing olivine clasts show little evidence of phase mixing. In phase mixtures, olivine neoblasts show weak (J-index ~1.8) C-Type and weak (J-Index ~1.5) B-type CPO’s. Both types suggest the presence of water during deformation.</p><p>Isolated, equiaxial orthopyroxene clasts are present in all samples. DynRXS of opx starts in mylonites. Some clasts and tips of extensively elongated opx bands (max. axial ratios 1:50) are bordered by fine-grained (min. ECD~5µm) mixtures of olivine, opx ± anorthite/ cpx/ pargasite. Mixing intensities seem to depend on the connection to the olivine-rich matrix. Clast grain boundaries are highly lobate with indentations of secondary phases (mostly olivine). Opx neoblasts have no internal deformation and show large misorientations close to their host clast (misorientation angle >45° at ~20µm distance). Their grain shape is either flat and elongated or equiaxial. Both shapes have lobate boundaries. Their CPO depends on the host clast orientation. In ultramylonites, opx bands disappeared completely.</p><p>Clinopyroxene porphyroclasts dynamically recrystallize in protomylonite to ultramylonite samples. Olivine is the dominant mixing phase (~45vol.%). Cpx mixed area grain sizes tend to be coarser (~10µm) than in corresponding opx areas (~6µm). Ultramylonitic cpx-ol assemblages have a higher mixing percentage (phase boundaries/grain boundaries ~70%) than mylonitic assemblages (~40%). In the mylonitic layers, clusters of cpx neoblasts form ‘walls’ parallel to their host grain borders. Olivine neoblasts between these clusters show no CPO. The overall cpx CPO varies from [001] perpendicular and [010] parallel to the foliation with (J -Index ~2.5) to [100] perpendicular and [001] parallel to the foliation (J-Index ~1.2).</p><p>Beside few thoroughly mixed areas, bands of cpx+ol and of opx+ol are still distinguishable in ultramylonitic layers. This suggests their origin to be dynamically recrystallized opx and cpx clasts. Therefore, phase mixing is assumed to occur simultaneously to clast recrystallization. Beside a small gradient of opx/cpx abundance depending on the distance from their host clast there is little evidence for phase mixing by dynRXS+GBS only. High abundances of olivine neoblasts at grain boundaries of recrystallizing clasts and their instant mixed assemblage with host phase neoblasts suggest phase mixing being strongly dependent on olivine nucleation during dynRXS of opx and cpx.</p>

scholarly journals Recrystallization of ice enhances the creep and vulnerability to fracture of ice shelves 

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meghana Ranganathan ◽  
Brent Minchew ◽  
Colin Meyer ◽  
Matej Pec
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Ice Sheet ◽  
Shear Zones ◽  
Dislocation Creep ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Localized Deformation ◽  
Ice Shelves ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Initiation And Propagation ◽  
Rapid Deformation

<p>The initiation and propagation of fractures in floating regions of Antarctica has the potential to destabilize large regions of the ice sheet, leading to significant sea-level rise. While observations have shown rapid, localized deformation and damage in the margins of fast-flowing glaciers, there remain gaps in our understanding of how rapid deformation affects the creep and toughness of ice. Here we derive a model for dynamic recrystallization in ice and other rocks that includes a novel representation of migration recrystallization, which is absent from existing models but is likely to be dominant in warm areas undergoing rapid deformation within the ice sheet. We show that, in regions of elevated strain rate, grain sizes in ice may be larger than expected (~15 mm) due to migration recrystallization, a significant deviation from solid earth studies which find fine-grained rock in shear zones. This may imply that ice in shear margins deforms primarily by dislocation creep, suggesting a flow-law exponent of n=4 in these regions. Further, we find from existing models that this increase in grain size results in a decrease in tensile strength of ice by ~75% in the margins of glaciers. Thus, we expect that this increase in grain size makes the margins of fast-flowing glaciers less viscous and more vulnerable to fracture than we may suppose from standard model parameters.</p>

scholarly journals The internal structure and composition of a plate boundary-scale serpentinite shear zone: The Livingstone Fault, New Zealand

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew S. Tarling ◽  
Steven A. F. Smith ◽  
James M. Scott ◽  
Jeremy S. Rooney ◽  
Cecilia Viti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Internal Structure ◽  
Shear Zone ◽  
Plate Boundary ◽  
Shear Zones ◽  
East Side ◽  
Local Dispersion ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Shear Sense ◽  
Tectonic Settings

Abstract. Deciphering the internal structural and composition of large serpentinite-dominated shear zones will lead to an improved understanding of the rheology of the lithosphere in a range of tectonic settings. The Livingstone Fault in New Zealand is a > 1000 km long terrane-bounding structure that separates the basal portions (peridotite; serpentinised peridotite; metagabbros) of the Dun Mountain Ophiolite Belt from quartzofeldspathic schists of the Caples or Aspiring Terranes. Field and microstructural observations from eleven localities along a strike length of c. 140 km show that the Livingstone Fault is a steeply-dipping, serpentinite-dominated shear zone tens to several hundreds of metres wide. The bulk shear zone has a pervasive scaly fabric that wraps around fractured and faulted pods of massive serpentinite, rodingite and partially metasomatised quartzofeldspathic schist up to a few tens of metres long. S-C fabrics and lineations in the shear zone consistently indicate a steep Caples-side-up (i.e. east-side-up) shear sense, with significant local dispersion in kinematics where the shear zone fabrics wrap around pods. The scaly fabric is dominated (> 98 vol %) by fine-grained (≪ 10 μm) fibrous chrysotile and lizardite/polygonal serpentine, but infrequent (

scholarly journals Myrmekite and strain weakening in granitoid mylonites

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Ceccato ◽  
Luca Menegon ◽  
Giorgio Pennacchioni ◽  
Luiz Fernando Grafulha Morales
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Heterogeneous Nucleation ◽  
Eastern Alps ◽  
Grain Boundary Sliding ◽  
Dislocation Creep ◽  
Diffusion Creep ◽  
Phase Mixing ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Fine Grain ◽  
Creep Cavitation

Abstract. At mid-crustal conditions, deformation of feldspar is mainly accomplished by a combination of fracturing, dissolution/precipitation and reaction-weakening mechanisms. In particular, K-feldspar is reaction-weakened by formation of strain-induced myrmekite – a fine-grained symplectite of plagioclase and quartz. Here we investigate with EBSD the microstructure of a granodiorite mylonite, developed at 420–460 °C during cooling of the Rieserferner pluton (Eastern Alps), to assess the microstructural processes and the role of weakening associated with myrmekite development. Our analysis shows that the crystallographic orientation of the plagioclase of pristine myrmekite was controlled by that of the replaced K-feldspar. Myrmekite nucleation resulted in both grain size reduction and ordered phase mixing by heterogeneous nucleation of quartz and plagioclase. The fine grain size of sheared myrmekite promoted grain size-sensitive creep mechanisms including fluid-assisted grain boundary sliding in plagioclase, coupled with heterogeneous nucleation of quartz within creep cavitation pores. Flow laws calculated for monomineralic quartz, feldspar, and quartz + plagioclase aggregates (sheared myrmekite), show that during mylonitization at 450 °C, grain-size-sensitive creep in sheared myrmekite accommodated strain rates several orders of magnitude higher than monomineralic quartz layers deforming by dislocation creep. Therefore, diffusion creep and grain size-sensitive processes contributed significantly to bulk rock weakening during mylonitization. Our results have implications for modelling the rheology of the mid-upper continental (felsic) crust.

Brittle–ductile fabrics and P–T conditions of deformation in the East Pernambuco shear zone (Borborema Province, NE Brazil)

2020 ◽  
Vol 178 (1) ◽  
pp. jgs2020-109
Author(s):  
Paulo Castellan ◽  
Gustavo Viegas ◽  
Frederico M. Faleiros
Keyword(s):  
Shear Zone ◽  
Microstructural Analysis ◽  
Mineral Chemistry ◽  
Prism Slip ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Brittle Ductile Transition ◽  
Epma Analysis ◽  
Borborema Province ◽  
Supplementary Material

Fabrics of the East Pernambuco shear zone (EPSZ) were studied via microstructural analysis, mineral chemistry and isochemical phase diagram modelling to constrain the pressure and temperature conditions of deformation during shearing. Granitic mylonites show fractured feldspar porphyroclasts embedded in a fine-grained, recrystallized quartzo-feldspathic matrix. These mylonites grade laterally into banded ultramylonites characterized by stretched feldspar clasts alternated with recrystallized quartz bands. Fractures in these ultramylonites are filled by phyllosilicates. The mineral chemistry of the feldspars points to systematic changes between porphyroclasts, grains within fractures and fine-grained mixtures. Quartz crystallographic fabrics in the mylonites suggest activation of prism slip, while the ultramylonites show the activation of both rhomb and basal slip systems. Thermodynamic modelling suggests that the mylonites were formed at 4.75 ± 0.25 kbar and 526 ± 9°C, while the ultramylonites yield conditions of 5.9 ± 1 kbar and 437 ± 17°C. These observations suggest that the EPSZ records a heterogeneous path of strain accommodation, marked by decreasing temperature from its western sector to its eastern termination. The differences in metamorphic conditions are consistent with a transitional, brittle–ductile strain regime. Such characteristics indicate that the EPSZ is a Neoproterozoic shear belt nucleated and heterogeneously exhumed at the brittle–ductile transition, possibly in an intracontinental setting.Supplementary Material: EPMA analysis of feldspars in Caruaru and Gravatá domains and T-X(O2) pseudosections are available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5125957

scholarly journals Relationship between microstructures and resistance in mafic assemblages that deform and transform

Solid Earth ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 2141-2167
Author(s):  
Nicolas Mansard ◽  
Holger Stünitz ◽  
Hugues Raimbourg ◽  
Jacques Précigout ◽  
Alexis Plunder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Shear Strain ◽  
Phase Distribution ◽  
Shear Bands ◽  
Constant Strain Rate ◽  
Peak Stress ◽  
Confining Pressure ◽  
Shear Zones ◽  
Reaction Products ◽  
Fine Grained

Abstract. Syn-kinematic mineral reactions play an important role for the mechanical properties of polymineralic rocks. Mineral reactions (i.e., nucleation of new phases) may lead to grain size reduction, producing fine-grained polymineralic mixtures, which have a strongly reduced viscosity because of the activation of grain-size-sensitive deformation processes. In order to study the effect of deformation–reaction feedback(s) on sample strength, we performed rock deformation experiments on “wet” assemblages of mafic compositions in a Griggs-type solid-medium deformation apparatus. Shear strain was applied at constant strain rate (10−5 s−1) and constant confining pressure (1 GPa) with temperatures ranging from 800 to 900 ∘C. At low shear strain, the assemblages that react faster are significantly weaker than the ones that react more slowly, demonstrating that reaction progress has a first-order control on rock strength. With increasing strain, we document two contrasting microstructural scenarios: (1) the development of a single throughgoing high-strain zone of well-mixed, fine-grained aggregates, associated with a significant weakening after peak stress, and (2) the development of partially connected, nearly monomineralic shear bands without major weakening. The lack of weakening is caused by the absence of interconnected well-mixed aggregates of fine-grained reaction products. The nature of the reaction products, and hence the intensity of the mechanical weakening, is controlled by the microstructures of the reaction products to a large extent, e.g., the amount of amphibole and the phase distribution of reaction products. The samples with the largest amount of amphibole exhibit a larger grain size and show less weakening. In addition to their implications for the deformation of natural shear zones, our findings demonstrate that the feedback between deformation and mineral reactions can lead to large differences in mechanical strength, even at relatively small initial differences in mineral composition.

scholarly journals On the Origin of Ultramylonites

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacques Précigout
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Host Rock ◽  
Shear Zones ◽  
Smooth Transition ◽  
Seismogenic Zone ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Lattice Preferred Orientation ◽  
Dislocation Densities ◽  
Creep Cavitation

<p><span>Deformation of lithospheric rocks regularly localizes into high-strain shear zones that include fine-grained ultramylonites. Occurring as quasi-straight layers of intimately mixed phases that often describe sharp transitions with the host rock, these structures may channelize fluid flow<strong><sup>[1,2]</sup></strong> and could serve as precursors for deep earthquakes<strong><sup>[3]</sup></strong>. However, although intensively documented, ultramylonites originate from still unknown processes. Here I focus on a mylonitic complex that includes numerous mantle ultramylonites in the Ronda peridotite (Spain). Among them, I was able to highlight one of their precursors that I better describe as a long and straight grain boundary, along which four-grain junctions are observed with randomly oriented grains of olivine and pyroxenes. This precursor starts from a pyroxene porphyroclast and extends to an incipient, weakly undulated ultramylonite, where intimate phase mixing arises with asymmetrical grain size distribution. While the finer grain size locates on one side, describing a sharp – but continuous – transition with the host rock, the grain size gradually increases towards the other side, giving rise to a smooth transition. All phases have a very weak lattice preferred orientation (LPO) in the ultramylonite, which strongly differs from the host rock where olivine is highly deformed with evidence of high dislocation densities and a strong LPO. Altogether, these features shed light on the origin of mantle ultramylonites that I attribute to a migrating grain boundary, the sliding of which continuously produces new grains by phase nucleation, probably at the favor of transient four-grain junctions. Nucleated grains then grow and progressively detach from the precursor as it keeps on migrating depending on the dislocation densities in the host rock. Although such an unusual grain boundary remains to be understood in terms of source mechanism, these findings provide new constraints on the appearing and development of ultramylonites.</span></p><p> </p><p>[1] Fusseis, F., Regenauer-Lieb, K., Liu, J., Hough, R. M. & De Carlo, F. Creep cavitation can establish a dynamic granular fluid pump in ductile shear zones. Nature <strong>459</strong>: 974–977 (2009)</p><p>[2] Précigout, J., Prigent, C., Palasse, L. & Pochon, A. Water pumping in mantle shear zones. Nat. commun. <strong>8</strong>: 15736, https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms15736 (2017)</p><p>[3] White, J. C. Paradoxical pseudotachylyte – Fault melt outside the seismogenic zone. J. Struct. Geol. <strong>38</strong>: 11-20 (2012)</p>

scholarly journals Deformation conditions during syn-convergent extension along the Cordillera Blanca shear zone, Peru

Geosphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 1342-1367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cameron A. Hughes ◽  
Micah J. Jessup ◽  
Colin A. Shaw ◽  
Dennis L. Newell
Keyword(s):  
Shear Zone ◽  
Microstructural Analysis ◽  
Convergent Extension ◽  
Brittle Deformation ◽  
Cordillera Blanca ◽  
Peruvian Andes ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Brittle Ductile Transition ◽  
Tectonically Active ◽  
Lower Temperature

AbstractStrain localization across the brittle-ductile transition is a fundamental process in accommodating tectonic movement in the mid-crust. The tectonically active Cordillera Blanca shear zone (CBSZ), a ∼200-km-long normal-sense shear zone situated within the footwall of a discrete syn-convergent extensional fault in the Peruvian Andes, is an excellent field laboratory to explore this transition. Field and microscopic observations indicate consistent top-down-to-the-southwest sense of shear and a sequence of tectonites ranging from undeformed granodiorite through mylonite and ultimately fault breccia along the detachment.Using microstructural analysis, two-feldspar and Ti-in-quartz (TitaniQ) thermometry, recrystallized quartz paleopiezometry, and analysis of quartz crystallographic preferred orientations, we evaluate the deformation conditions and mechanisms in quartz and feldspar across the CBSZ. Deformation temperatures derived from asymmetric strain-induced myrmekite in a subset of tectonite samples are 410 ± 30 to 470 ± 36 °C, consistent with TitaniQ temperatures of 450 ± 60 to 490 ± 33 °C and temperatures >400 °C estimated from microstructural criteria. Brittle fabrics overprint ductile fabrics within ∼150 m of the detachment that indicate that deformation continued to lower-temperature (∼280–400 °C) and/or higher-strain-rate conditions prior to the onset of pervasive brittle deformation. Initial deformation occurred via high-temperature fracturing and dissolution-precipitation in feldspar. Continued subsolidus deformation resulted in either layering of mylonites into monophase quartz and fine-grained polyphase domains oriented subparallel to macroscopic foliation or the interconnection of recrystallized quartz networks oriented obliquely to macroscopic foliation. The transition to quartz-controlled rheology occurred at temperatures near ∼500 °C and at a differential stress of ∼16.5 MPa. Deformation within the CBSZ occurred predominantly above ∼400 °C and at stresses up to ∼71.4 MPa prior to the onset of brittle deformation.

Microstructures and deformation temperature of carbonate mylonites in Shajigami shear zone at eastern margin of Abukuma Mountains, Northeastern Japan

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroaki Yokoyama ◽  
Jun Muto ◽  
Hiroyuki Nagahama
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Shear Zone ◽  
Deformation Temperature ◽  
Microstructural Analysis ◽  
Shear Plane ◽  
Strike Slip ◽  
Eastern Margin ◽  
Northeastern Japan ◽  
Shear Sense ◽  
Shear Component

<p>　　Microstructural analysis is essential for estimating the deformation conditions of plastically deformed rocks. In this study, we analyze the microstructures of carbonate mylonites and deformation conditions in natural shear zone to reconstruct tectonics. Carbonate mylonites originated from late Carboniferous Tateishi Formation and mylonitized in middle Cretaceous by the strike-slip motion of Shajigami shear zone in the eastern margin of the Abukuma Mountain, Northeastern Japan.<br>　　Microstructural analysis was carried out by optical microscope and electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) mapping to determine grain size, aspect ratio, shape preferred orientation (SPO) and crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO) of calcite aggregates.<br>　　Pervasive deformation twins and dynamically recrystallized grains are observed. Although most porphyroclasts show symmetric structure, some show asymmetric structure that indicates dextral shear sense. Mean dynamically recrystallized grain size is 16-67 µm, and it decreases close to the shear zone. CPOs show that <em>c</em>-axes concentrate normal to the shear plane or slightly rotate to the shear sense. The strong CPOs suggest that the dominant deformation mechanism is dislocation creep. SPOs show the foliation which is slightly oblique or almost parallel to the shear plane. However, we observed the SPOs parallel to the shear plane at the location 150 m away from the shear zone.  The 3D dynamically recrystallized grain shapes are between plane-strain ellipsoid and oblate ellipsoid. The grain shapes tend to be relatively polygonal close to the shear zone, while more elongated further away from the shear zone. The distribution of the carbonate mylonite originated from same Tateishi Formation is known to be about 5 km apart from the Shajigami shear zone (Tateishi location). However, based on many aspects of differences in microstructures among both locations such as SPOs of recrystallized grains, we infer that the deformation of Shajigami shear zone was not related to one at Tateishi location. The pervasive dynamic recrystallization suggests that the deformation temperature was at least 200°C. Observed type Ⅱ and type Ⅲ twin morphologies (Burkhard, 1993) of calcite grains suggest deformation temperature below 300°C. <br>　　These results indicate that the deformation of the Shajigami shear zone was in the range from 200 to 300℃ and deformation was stronger near the shear zone. In addition, the polygonal grain shape close to the shear zone suggests that the deformation temperature is higher close to the shear zone. Furthermore, SPOs show that pure shear component is larger than simple shear component in terms of SPOs that almost parallel to the shear plane away from the shear zone. This study including several additional results will provide the microstructural development of carbonate mylonites in natural strike-slip shear zones deformed near the brittle-ductile condition of the upper crust.</p>

scholarly journals Strain Localization at Constant Strain Rate and Changing Stress Conditions: Implications for Plate Boundary Processes in the Upper Mantle

Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1351
Author(s):  
Julie Newman ◽  
Vasileios Chatzaras ◽  
Basil Tikoff ◽  
Jan R. Wijbrans ◽  
William M. Lamb ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Strain Rate ◽  
Strain Localization ◽  
Upper Mantle ◽  
Plate Boundary ◽  
Constant Strain Rate ◽  
Shear Zones ◽  
Deformation Mechanisms ◽  
Uniform Stress ◽  
Experimental Deformation

We present results from a natural deformed shear zone in the Turon de Técouère massif of the French Pyrenees that directly addresses the processes involved in strain localization, a topic that has been investigated for the last 40 years by structural geologists. Paleopiezometry indicates that differential stresses are variable both spatially across the zone, and temporally during exhumation. We have, however, also calculated strain rate, which remains constant despite changes in stress. This result appears to be at odds with recent experimental deformation on monophase (olivine) rocks, which indicate that strain localization occurs dominantly as a result of constant stress. We hypothesize that in the Turon de Técouère massif—and many natural shear zones—strain localization occurs as a result of reactions, which decrease the grain size and promote the activation of grain size sensitive deformation mechanisms. From a tectonics perspective, this study indicates that the deformation rate in a particular plate boundary is relatively uniform. Stress, however, varies to accommodate this deformation. This viewpoint is consistent with deformation at a plate boundary, but it is not the typical way in which we interpret strain localization.

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