Presented by: Whitney Behr
Affiliation: ETH Zurich
Location: 3853 Slichter Hall
Abstract: The deep sections of many modern subduction zones release strain through slow slip and tremor (SST), but the structures responsible, deformation mechanisms, and the role of syn-kinematic fluid flow remain hard to resolve from geodetic and seismologic data alone. Exhumed subduction zone rocks, such as those on Syros Island, Greece, provide key insights into the mechanical and hydrologic conditions within the SST source region. In this talk, I will present field-based and microstructural observations that reveal heterogeneity in viscosity, permeability, friction, and mineral fabrics, and discuss how these properties potentially influence deformation styles along subduction interfaces. These rock-based constraints help bridge the gap between geophysical observations and models, shedding light on the physical conditions that govern transitions between stable creep, slow slip, and seismic failure at depth.