Twin Induced Reduction of Seismic Anisotropy in Lawsonite Blueschist

Lawsonite is an important mineral for understanding seismic anisotropy in subducting oceanic crust due to its large elastic anisotropy and prevalence in cold subduction zones. However, there is insufficient knowledge of how lawsonite twinning affects seismic anisotropy, despite previous studies demonstrating the presence of twins in lawsonite. This study investigated the effect of lawsonite twinning on the crystal preferred orientation (CPO), CPO strength, and seismic anisotropy using lawsonite blueschists from Alpine Corsica (France) and the Sivrihisar Massif (Turkey). The CPOs of the minerals are measured with an electron backscatter diffraction instrument attached to a scanning electron microscope. The electron backscatter diffraction analyses of lawsonite reveal that the {110} twin in lawsonite is developed, the [001] axes are strongly aligned subnormal to the foliation, and both the [100] and [010] axes are aligned subparallel to the foliation. It is concluded that the existence of twins in lawsonite could induce substantial seismic anisotropy reduction, particularly for the maximum S-wave anisotropy in lawsonite and whole rocks by up to 3.67% and 1.46%, respectively. Lawsonite twinning needs to be considered when determining seismic anisotropy in the subducting oceanic crust in cold subduction zones.

Automated summary

This study examined the impact of twinning on crystal preferred orientation, CPO strength, and seismic anisotropy in lawsonite blueschists, finding that the presence of twins can significantly reduce seismic anisotropy.