The DRT society connects geoscientists all over the world studying deformation mechanisms, rheology and tectonics. Biannually, a conference is held for the community to present and share the newest findings and for inspiring discussions. This year, I joined the DRT community and as a recipient of a GSGS Travel grant I was able to attend the conference this June in Tübingen, Germany. The participation in the conference was a great opportunity for me to present and discuss my studies as the topics of deformation mechanisms and rheology perfectly match my PhD project. I presented a poster titled “Quartz-feldspar strength inversion in the lower crust? – an example from Sri Lankan granulites”. In general, feldspar is rheologically stronger than quartz, which means that, at specific conditions, feldspar is more resistant to mechanical stress and does not deform as fast as quartz by ductile deformation. However, with increasing temperatures in the lower crust the strength of feldspar (and other minerals) decreases and approximates the strength of quartz. In some cases, experimentally derived models even predict an inversion of the strength of quartz and feldspar resulting in quartz being stronger than feldspar. The granulites from Sri Lanka represent a natural example for studying the strength of quartz and feldspar in the lower crust and indicate at least an approximation of the strength of these minerals.

During the conference, I discussed my results and ideas with both young and experienced scientists, and gained helpful reviews, which will help me to improve my previous work and enhance my further approaches. Furthermore, I met researchers who deal with related topics (e.g., deformation and annealing microstructures of granulites) or who face similar difficulties (e.g., data collection and processing using the electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) technique). We established contacts to support each other and for possible collaborations.

Finally, the participation in the conference was an enriching experience for me. I gained valuable insights and expanded my network in the geoscientific community.

Marina Kemperle
PhD student
PhD project: "Deformation and Crystallization mechanisms in polyphase lower crustal rocks"
Institute of Geology and Mineralogy
Quartz-feldspar strength inversion in the lower crust? – an example from Sri Lankan granulites (poster), https://drt-2019.net/abstracts/