Run 19: Experiment DS-19
Experiment DS-19 was carried out under stress conditions of oblique extension,
where the extension was oriented 15° sinistrally from the extensional
axis. The thickness of the silicone layerwas 1.5 cm and the sand layer was
0.5 cm thick. The rate of composite oblique extension was 1.5 cm/hour, and
the experiment lasted 6 hours and 15 minutes. The deformation along the
central section of the experiment box was approximately 40% of the total
experimental offset. The experiment demonstrates the simultaneous occurrence
of a series of shallow rifts separated by transfer zones, set at linear
orientation along the center of the experiment box. In time the punctiform
rifts tend to merge and form a large central rift which comprises of well
defined and diffuse rifted zone alternately. Diapirs of the underlying silicone
layer penetrate the sand layer and are exposed along the axial zone of the
rifted basins, and as the deformation continues and the rifts start to merge,
so do the diapirs. A few small air bubbles, which inadvertantly remained
in the silicone layer, erupted during the experiment like volcanoes. Their
eruption slightly affected the trend of the rift. Some excess sand was spilled
along two spots in the reference frame. These white spots have no experimental
significance.
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