Abstract
Detailed knowledge of rheology is critical to understanding tectonic processes. Laboratory experiments to determine the strength of rocks have provided quantitative bounds on the strength of the crust and mantle. This knowledge has allowed computation of large scale deformation in the asthenosphere, given guidance in interpreting field structures, and improved our knowledge of the earthquake process. Progress has been particularly rapid in some areas: the effect of point defect chemistry on high temperature strength; the effect of water on rock strength, recrystallization and grain boundary processes; deformation processes in two‐phase materials; the application of linear elastic fracture mechanics; and the physics of rock friction and instability. Further progress requires increased knowledge of the effect of fluids and fluid flow on strength; of the ways in which chemical reactions and deformation interact, and of the physics and kinetics of deformation mechanisms
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