Rheology of Multiphase Rocks: From Atoms to the Lithosphere

Convener: Evangelos Moulas | Co-conveners: Shun-ichiro Karato, Lyudmila KhakimovaECSECS, Ágnes Király, Nicholas RathmannECSECS, Daniel RichardsECSECS, Leni Scheck-Wenderoth

Rocks are multiphase, anisotropic, and reactive materials whose mechanical response depends sensitively on deformation rate, pressure, and temperature. To grasp their effective rheology, one must consider processes that operate across a wide range of scales—from atomic‑level interactions involving vacancies and dislocations, fluid-rock interactions, to lithospheric‑scale models in which rock rheology is described as a long-term visco-elastic fluid flow.

The aim of this session is to bridge short‑time, small‑scale observations with long‑time, large‑scale phenomena. By integrating geodynamic investigations, experimental constraints, and theoretical formulations, we seek a unified understanding of the interacting mechanisms that drive geological deformation.

We invite contributions from all disciplines that explore how grain‑scale processes and rheology influence the overall mechanical behavior of geomaterials.