This $518,605 National Science Foundation project grant under the Geosciences program (CFDA 47.050) will fund collaborative research to quantify strain and fluid flow along subduction interfaces. Penn State University will lead efforts to characterize chemical and mechanical processes controlling the healing of subduction zones between large earthquakes. Researchers will study ancient subduction exposures in Japan and Alaska spanning depths of 8-20 km and temperatures of 150-350°C. Electron microscopy will quantify mineral phases and redistribution with strain. Additional analyses will constrain paleotemperatures, finite strain, and deformation mechanisms. Field observations and modeling will derive strain rates. Insights will inform a numerical model parameterizing the effects of seismic slip, fluid flow, and interseismic strengthening on earthquake distribution. The award period is from July 15, 2022 to June 30, 2025 and also supports an early-career faculty member, PhD student, and recruitment of undergraduates including six from the University of the Incarnate Word serving the local Hispanic community.
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