Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Exploration Of Charge Carriers In Obsidian, Ryan Nordvik, Friedemann Freund

STAR Program Research Presentations

This research effort is part of an ongoing investigation into stress-activated positive hole charge carriers in common igneous and high-grade metamorphic rocks. The findings have already revealed potential early earthquake detection mechanisms and caused a re-think on the processes that could conceivably contribute to the formation of and evolution of life. Positive holes are defect electrons in the oxygen anion sub-lattice of silicate minerals that have demonstrated some intriguing capabilities: flowing out of a stressed rock volume; causing oxidation reactions at the rock-water interface and ionization at the rock-air interface; and traveling great distances. This research seeks to determine if …