Rethinking cracks: Joining field observations with fracture mechanics to understand time- and climate-dependent rock fracture in surface settings

Martha-Cary Eppes (University of North Carolina at Charlotte) - hybrid seminar (in-person in Salle NEF + remote via Zoom).

There are long-standing misperceptions of rock fracture that arise from the assumption that only 'critical' stresses equaling a rock's strength can lead to fracture. The recognition of subcritical cracking in the context of surface processes opens new doors to thinking about the factors that control rock cracking at or near the surface of Earth or other terrestrial bodies. In this talk, new data are presented that examine the role of time and climate over geologic timescales in impacting rock cracking processes. These field and laboratory data provide new insights into how and why cracking rates may change over time. Our results showing nonlinear cracking velocities over geologic time have implications for interpreting and understanding long-term landscape evolution.