Brittle-ductile Transition
Brittle-ductile Transition : A zone in the Earth?s crust across which the thermo-mechanical properties of the crust change from brittle behavior above tending to break) to ductile behavior below (plastic or quasiplastic, tending to bend). Its depth is usually identified as the maximum focal depth of local earthquakes and occurs at depths at which the temperature lies between 200 to 400 degrees. This is typically around 15 km but depends on the heat flow conditions and age of the crust. Most earthquakes initiate at or above this depth on steep (high-angle) faults. Below this depth, fault slips may be aseismic and may grade from high angle to low angle faulting (e.g., Ito 1990)
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