Daniel Ortega-Arroyo, a student in Prof. Matěj’s Pěc's lab in ERL/EAPS, received this year's Student Author of the Year Award from the Journal of Structural Geology for a paper they co-authored entitled "A closer look into slickensides: Deformation on and under fault surfaces".
From the Journal of Structural Geology Website:
"The Journal of Structural Geology presents the “Student Author of the Year Award” each year to recognize the work of the newest contributors to our discipline, and to encourage the publication of their work. The award is made for an outstanding paper in which the undergraduate or graduate student had a key role in the research and publication. Chosen by the Editors of the Journal of Structural Geology from amongst a large number of student submissions, the recipient of this award for 2023 is Daniel Ortega-Arroyo for their contribution co-authored with Matěj Pěc: A closer look into slickensides: Deformation on and under fault surfaces. Journal of Structural Geology, Volume 171, 20223, 104860
Daniel and Matěj’s work stood out above many other exceptional contributions made to the Journal of Structural Geology by student authors in 2023 for a number of reasons. This paper describes the macro- to microstructures of three natural fault surfaces decorated by slickensides. The diversity of host rock types and fault kinematics allows the authors to explore commonalities in the geometry, structure, and inferred operating deformation mechanisms. They find certain characteristic features in all faults, regardless of their origin and host rock. For example, all faults developed nano-scale particles on their principal slip surfaces (PSS) and S-C-C´(ie. shear band) fabrics in host rock beneath the PSS.
The work combines traditional structural analysis with quantitative measurements employing methods novel in structural geology. For example, the surface roughness of the faults was quantified from laser interferometric measurements, and a multi-scale surface texture analysis (MSA) was performed. This geometric quantification also revealed similar patterns in all studied examples. It will be valuable for future studies to acquire similar measurements from natural and experimental faults to determine if the systematic relationships, and the inferred processes, are more broadly applicable.
As well as undertaking this fundamental work with great scientific rigour, the results of the study were communicated to their audience in a concise but illustrative way. The methodology is clearly explained. The work was exceptionally illustrated, in particular with well-correlated and annotated microstructural images combining optical images with electron microscope-derived compositional maps (BSE, EDS, CL). A beautiful summary figure is presented that guides the reader through the author’s preferred interpretation of the structural development.
As first author of this exceptional contribution that elucidates the structural processes that yield a common structural feature, Daniel fully deserves the honour of Journal of Structural Geology Student Author of the Year Award 2023. We would like to extend our warmest congratulations to him, and his supervisor, for this first class contribution, which the Journal of Structural Geology is proud to have had the opportunity to publish."