The mechanics of hydraulic fractures in glaciers, volcanoes, and reservoirs

Fractures that interact with fluid are ubiquitous in Earth systems. In the floating ice shelves that fringe the grounded Antarctic Ice Sheet, hydraulic fractures pose a threat to ice sheet stability. Hydraulic fractures in volcanoes transport magma and other fluids through Earth's crust. And hydraulic fractures may be engineered to improve the performance of geothermal energy resources. The mechanical analysis of hydraulic fractures may take several viewpoints, of which I focus on two. First, linear elastic fracture mechanics provides insight into the dynamics of hydraulic fractures at shallow depths above the brittle--ductile transition. Second, active hydraulic fractures may create mechanical vibrations that are observable at distant seismometers. In both instances, geophysical data and mechanical analyses together provide insights into stunning natural phenomena that have direct bearing on human civilization.