Physico-chemical processes in seismic faults

Understanding the physico-chemical processes controlling faulting and earthquake generation is essential in seismic hazard assessment. Since destructive earthquakes nucleate at depth (7-15 km), direct access to seismic sources is impossible and monitoring active faults from the Earth surface, or interpreting radiated seismic waves, yield limited information on earthquake physics. A complementary approach to the study of earthquakes might come from field, experimental and theoretical investigations of faults and fault-related rocks.