Scientists have uncovered a stress memory effect in olivine, a mineral found in the Earth's upper mantle, at high pressures and temperatures. This phenomenon, known as the Kaiser effect, suggests that seismic events only occur when the previous maximum stress level is surpassed. This discovery has significant implications for estimating stress levels in crustal rocks and forecasting earthquakes.

While the Kaiser effect has been previously studied at room temperature in laboratories, researchers from Ehime University conducted experiments on natural olivine using advanced technology to simulate high pressure and high temperature conditions. By combining a large-volume deformation apparatus with microseismicity monitoring, they were able to confirm the presence of a stress memory effect in heavily deformed olivine under extreme conditions.

The observed stress memory effect, which aligns with the Kaiser effect, could play a crucial role in understanding seismic activity in subducting slabs. This groundbreaking research has been published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, shedding new light on the behavior of olivine at upper mantle pressures and temperatures.

Source: Phys.org