Olivine water weakening

Water weakening can occur in olivine, as in quartz [167-170]. It has been suggested by Mackwell et al. [171] that water enhances dtmb mobility, although more detailed explanations are still lacking. Another possibility is that the point defects associated with the addition of water cause enhanced kink nucleation and/or kink diffusion (as described in Section 9.2.3). 

Geologists have found that the mineral quartzite as well as synthetic quartz is softened by water (Griggs and Blacic, 1965). Dry quartz crystals retain then-hardnesses to nearly 1000 °C, but are weakened considerably (nearly an order of magnitude) by the presence of water. Similar weakening is observed for olivine (Mg,Fe)2(Si04) and feldspar (KAlSi3Os). 

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