Data from: Signatures of localization control transition between rupture styles on basaltic megathrusts
Data files
Oct 24, 2025 version files 6.23 MB
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Data_S1.zip
6.22 MB
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README.md
6.74 KB
Abstract
Megathrust faults at subduction zones slip at a broad spectrum of rates from slow creep (centimeters per year) to dynamic rupture (meters per second), with large excess fluid pressures implicated as a control on nucleation style. We report friction measurements on oceanic basalt gouges (IODP Expedition 368X) at elevated temperatures (150-450 °C), stresses (150 MPa), and large fluid overpressures (30-120 MPa) to represent conditions along the descending slab and to link observed rheology to microtextural evolution. With reducing effective stress, slip instabilities are first manifested as slow-slip and evolve through dynamic stick-slip as a result of reduced shear zone width. This transition in rupture style is driven by an increase in effective fault stiffness k'c and a decrease in nucleation length L. Increased intergranular pressure dissolution at elevated effective stress mediates the shear localization width, controls the dynamics of strain localization, and leaves a structurally discernible fingerprint. Our results imply that effective stress-controlled mass transfer, together with strain localization, dictates the styles of instability nucleation manifest as slow earthquakes rationally evolving into dynamic megathrust ruptures.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.dbrv15fft
Description of the data and file structure
Rui Huang, Mengke An, Luanxiao Zhao, Derek Elsworth, Chris Marone, Jianhang Lv, Shutian Cao, Qiong Wang, Hehua Zhu, Quan Gan, Fengshou Zhang. Signatures of localization control transition between rupture styles on basaltic megathrusts. Communications Earth & Environment.
Data S1
The friction-displacement data for all shear experiments on basalt gouges.
Authors
Rui Huang
State Key Laboratory of Disaster Reduction in Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Department of Geotechnical Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering, EMS Energy Institute and G3 Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
Mengke An
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong 100872, China
Luanxiao Zhao
State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
Derek Elsworth
Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering, EMS Energy Institute and G3 Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
Department of Geosciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
Chris Marone
Department of Geosciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, La Sapienza Università di Roma, Italy
Jianhang Lv
State Key Laboratory of Disaster Reduction in Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Department of Geotechnical Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Shutian Cao
State Key Laboratory of Disaster Reduction in Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Department of Geotechnical Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Qiong Wang
Department of Geotechnical Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Key Laboratory of Geotechnical & Underground Engineering of Ministry of Education, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Hehua Zhu
State Key Laboratory of Disaster Reduction in Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Department of Geotechnical Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Quan Gan
State Key Laboratory of Coal Mine Disaster Dynamics and Control, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
School of Resources and Safety Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
Fengshou Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Disaster Reduction in Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Department of Geotechnical Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
File lists (files found within DataS1.zip)
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_150_30.xlsx
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_150_60.xlsx
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_150_90.xlsx
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_150_120.xlsx
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_300_30.xlsx
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_300_60.xlsx
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_300_90.xlsx
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_300_120.xlsx
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_450_30.xlsx
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_450_60.xlsx
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_450_90.xlsx
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_450_120.xlsx
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_300_200_80.xlsx
File descriptions
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_150_30.xlsx – The shear displacement (mm) (column 1) and coefficient of friction (dimensionless) (column 2) data for Experiment BA-150-30.
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_150_60.xlsx – The shear displacement (mm) (column 1) and coefficient of friction (dimensionless) (column 2) data for Experiment BA-150-60.
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_150_90.xlsx – The shear displacement (mm) (column 1) and coefficient of friction (dimensionless) (column 2) data for Experiment BA-150-90.
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_150_120.xlsx – The shear displacement (mm) (column 1) and coefficient of friction (dimensionless) (column 2) data for Experiment BA-150-120.
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_300_30.xlsx – The shear displacement (mm) (column 1) and coefficient of friction (dimensionless) (column 2) data for Experiment BA-300-30.
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_300_60.xlsx – The shear displacement (mm) (column 1) and coefficient of friction (dimensionless) (column 2) data for Experiment BA-300-60.
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_300_90.xlsx – The shear displacement (mm) (column 1) and coefficient of friction (dimensionless) (column 2) data for Experiment BA-300-90.
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_300_120.xlsx – The shear displacement (mm) (column 1) and coefficient of friction (dimensionless) (column 2) data for Experiment BA-300-120.
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_450_30.xlsx – The shear displacement (mm) (column 1) and coefficient of friction (dimensionless) (column 2) data for Experiment BA-450-30.
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_450_60.xlsx – The shear displacement (mm) (column 1) and coefficient of friction (dimensionless) (column 2) data for Experiment BA-450-60.
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_450_90.xlsx – The shear displacement (mm) (column 1) and coefficient of friction (dimensionless) (column 2) data for Experiment BA-450-90.
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_450_120.xlsx – The shear displacement (mm) (column 1) and coefficient of friction (dimensionless) (column 2) data for Experiment BA-450-120.
Huang_et_al_2025_BA_300_200_80.xlsx – The shear displacement (mm) (column 1) and coefficient of friction (dimensionless) (column 2) data for Experiment BA-300-200-80.
Files and variables
File: Data_S1.zip
Description: The friction-displacement data for all shear experiments on basalt gouges.