Seismic Secrets Locked in Quartz Grains – A New Approach to Earthquake Studies

This is a guest post by Szymon Świątek

Can we “read” earthquake history by analyzing microscopic quartz grains? New research suggests we can! Scientists from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań and the University of Potsdam have introduced an innovative method for studying seismic liquefaction. Their findings, published in the Journal of Structural Geology, reveal that quartz microstructures can help identify past earthquakes.

Seismic liquefaction occurs when water-saturated sediments lose their strength due to earthquake-induced shaking, leading to ground failure. This study shows how quartz grains develop unique cracks and corrosion patterns under seismic stress, distinguishing earthquake-induced soft-sediment deformation structures from other geological processes.

One groundbreaking finding is the presence of gold particles in quartz grain fractures formed during seismic activity. This supports the idea that earthquakes play a crucial role in mineral redistribution.

This research provides a novel tool for paleoseismology, helping reconstruct ancient seismic events.

Stay tuned for more insights into how tiny quartz grains are rewriting our understanding of Earth’s seismic history!

You can read the full text till April 3^rd 2025! https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1kbexhdGqo9ON

 

Reference

Świątek, S., Lewińska, K., Pisarska-Jamroży, M., & Günter, C. (2025). An application of quartz grain analyses in earthquake-induced (palaeo)liquefaction studies. Journal of Structural Geology, 105357. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsg.2025.105357.