Program > Browse abstracts by speaker > Alvaro Matteo

Understanding Earth's dynamics requires detailed knowledge of how minerals deform under varying environmental conditions. Traditional experimental approaches rely on simplified synthetic materials, limiting their applicability to natural systems, which contain structural defects and chemical complexities. We are exploring novel approaches by examining mineral inclusions trapped inside host crystals as naturally pre-stressed systems that provide valuable insights into mineral rheology. By employing Raman spectroscopy to measure residual pressures in inclusions across different temperatures and pressures, we can assess how internal stress states influence the deformation behavior of the host mineral. We will show, focusing on host-inclusion systems such as zircon and quartz trapped in garnet, how this method can offer a unique perspective on the mechanical properties of rock-forming minerals. The results have broad implications for understanding deformation in diverse geological environments, refining rheological models, and improving our interpretation of large-scale geodynamic processes.