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The central San Andreas Fault in California is known as a creeping fault, however recent studies have shown that it may be accumulating a slip deficit and thus its seismogenic potential should be seriously considered. We conducted laboratory friction experiments measuring time-dependent frictional strengthening (healing) on fault zone and wall rock samples recovered during drilling at the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD), located near the southern edge of the creeping section and in the direct vicinity of three repeating microearthquake clusters. We find that for hold times of up to 3000 s, frictional healing follows a log-linear dependence on hold time and that the healing rate is very low for a sample of the actively shearing fault core, consistent with previous results. However, considering longer hold times up to ∼350,000 s, the healing rate accelerates such that the data for all samples are better described by a power law relation. In general, samples having a higher content of phyllosilicate minerals exhibit low log-linear healing rates, and the notably clay-rich fault zone sample also exhibits strong power-law healing when longer hold times are included. Our data suggest that weak faults, such as the creeping section of the San Andreas Fault, can accumulate interseismic shear stress more rapidly than expected from previous friction data. Using the power-law dependence of frictional healing on hold time, calculations of recurrence interval and stress drop based on our data accurately match observations of discrete creep events and repeating M w = 2 earthquakes on the San Andreas Fault. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We characterize the lithology and structure of the spot core obtained in 2007 during Phase 3 drilling of the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD) in order to determine the composition, structure, and deformation processes of the fault zone at 3km depth where creep and microseismicity occur. A total of approximately 41m of spot core was taken from three separate sections of the borehole; the core samples consist of fractured arkosic sandstones and shale west of the SAF zone (Pacific Plate) and sheared fine-grained sedimentary rocks, ultrafine black fault-related rocks, and phyllosilicate-rich fault gouge within the fault zone (North American Plate). The fault zone at SAFOD consists of a broad zone of variably damaged rock containing localized zones of highly concentrated shear that often juxtapose distinct protoliths. Two zones of serpentinite-bearing clay gouge, each meters-thick, occur at the two locations of aseismic creep identified in the borehole on the basis of casing deformation. The gouge primarily is comprised of Mg-rich clays, serpentinite (lizardite±chrysotile) with notable increases in magnetite, and Ni-Cr-oxides/hydroxides relative to the surrounding host rock. The rocks surrounding the two creeping gouge zones display a range of deformation including fractured protolith, block-in-matrix, and foliated cataclasite structure. The blocks and clasts predominately consist of sandstone and siltstone embedded in a clay-rich matrix that displays a penetrative scaly fabric. Mineral alteration, veins and fracture-surface coatings are present throughout the core, and reflect a long history of syn-deformation, fluid-rock reaction that contributes to the low-strength and creep in the meters-thick gouge zones. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: With transmission electron microscopy (TEM) we observed nanometer-sized pores in four ultracataclastic and fractured core samples recovered from different depths of the main bore hole of the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD). Cutting of foils with a focused ion beam technique (FIB) allowed identifying porosity down to the nm scale. Between 40 and 50% of all pores could be identified as in-situ pores without any damage related to sample preparation. The total porosity estimated from TEM micrographs (1–5%) is comparable to the connected fault rock porosity (2.8–6.7%) estimated by pressure-induced injection of mercury. Permeability estimates for cataclastic fault rocks are 10−21–10−19 m2 and 10−17 m2 for the fractured fault rock. Porosity and permeability are independent of sample depth. TEM images reveal that the porosity is intimately linked to fault rock composition and associated with deformation. The TEM-estimated porosity of the samples increases with increasing clay content. The highest porosity was estimated in the vicinity of an active fault trace. The largest pores with an equivalent radius>200nm occur around large quartz and feldspar grains or grain-fragments while the smallest pores (equivalent radius<50nm) are typically observed in the extremely fine-grained matrix (grain size<1μm). Based on pore morphology we distinguish different pore types varying with fault rock fabric and alteration. The pores were probably filled with formation water and/or hydrothermal fluids at elevated pore fluid pressure, preventing pore collapse. The pore geometry derived from TEM observations and BET (Brunauer, Emmett and Teller) gas adsorption/desorption hysteresis curves indicates pore blocking effects in the fine-grained matrix. Observations of isolated pores in TEM micrographs and high pore body to pore throat ratios inferred from mercury injection suggest elevated pore fluid pressure in the low permeability cataclasites, reducing shear strength of the fault. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]