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Spencer 1981
Spencer, J.W. (1981). Stress relaxations at low frequencies in fluid-saturated rocks: attenuation and modulus dispersion. Journal of Geophysical Research 86: doi: 10.1029/JB086iB03p01803. issn: 0148-0227.

A new laboratory apparatus measures the complex Young's modulus of rock samples at frequencies between 4 and 400 Hz and at strain amplitudes near 10-7. There is negligible attenuation and modulus dispersion in vacuum-dry rocks. In water-saturated samples of sandstone, limestone, and granite there are large attenuation peaks which are caused by stress relaxations. The attenuation and modulus data can be described by Cole-Cole distributions of relaxation times. The rocks anelasticity therefore satisfied the Kramers--Kronig integral relations. The stress relaxations occur at low frequencies, have narrow distributions of characteristic times, are thermally activated, and have activation energies (16--22 kJ/mol) which are characteristic of hydrogen bonds. The modulus defect and peak attenuation are shown to vary with different pore fluids (water, ethanol, and n-decane). The results are explained in terms of the pore fluids lowering the surface free energy of the rock-forming minerals. The relaxation process involves the movement of fluid molecules. The molecules, by bonding to the surface, reduce the surface energy and thus generate the frequency-dependent softening in the rock.

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Journal
Journal of Geophysical Research
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American Geophysical Union
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