Public lecture as part of the search committee in Tectonics and structural geology

Summary: Initially weak and permeable fault rocks can regain strength due to fluid-assisted healing processes, which is a prerequisite for repeating seismic failure of faults. However, how quickly fractured rocks heal, regain their stiffness and drive fluid flow around faults is also fundamental to geo-engineering applications such as geothermal energy, radioactive waste disposal, and CO2 storage.
Foreland basins are ideal natural laboratories for studying dynamic fault healing, as their sedimentary rocks record prolonged fault activity during basin evolution. This contribution integrates field studies on natural fault rocks in foreland basins and deformation experiments using advanced high-resolution microstructural analyses including trace elements and isotopes to constrain the mechanisms of fault healing, while also improving an important geochronometer to obtain rates and dates of deformation.