Fluids such as water exert important controls on the formation and evolution of the Earth. Water is incorporated into rocks deep into the Earth’s crust, and affects how the crust fractures and flows, and so can greatly impact the seismic activity of the Earth.
Earth scientists use SEES beamlines to study the rates at which faults in the Earth’s crust propagate, and how pressurized pore fluids influence the strength in a fault zone throughout the earthquake cycle. This understanding will lead to a better understanding of the physics of earthquakes and lead to more reliable assessment and mitigation of geohazards.