Fluid release from subducted slabs without percolation flow

Editors’ Highlights are summaries of recent papers by AGU’s journal editors.

Source: Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth

What is a plausible alternative mechanism for infiltration flow of an aquifer from a subducting slab? Chen et al. [2023] explore the possibility of stacking released water in an effective 2D liquid state within the interconnected crystal interfaces of phyllosilicate minerals such as graphite, mica or prucite. Using molecular dynamics simulations, they demonstrate the possible routing of water flow through an effective quasi-2D liquid phase.

The authors found that the water intercalation under pressure-temperature-conditions is thermodynamically driven at three types of crystalline interfaces, namely graphite, brucite, and muscovite mica interlayers. An essential condition for this water intermediate at the crystal interface is that the crystal surface and water are not well connected by hydrogen bonds. Most importantly, H₂O intercalation at the crystal interface may facilitate aseismic slip, which may easily transmit earthquake-inducing stress changes, making the dehydration embrittlement hypothesis less demanding.

Citation: Chen, M., Zhu, R., Zhu, J., & He, H. (2023). Mediates fluid migration in compressing low-dimensional water permeability layers at crystal interfaces. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth128, e2023JB027124. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JB027124

– Nikolai Baghdazarov, Associate Editor, JGR: Solid Earth

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