Frictional properties and slip stability of active faults within carbonate–evaporite sequences: The role of dolomite and anhydrite

• Destructive earthquakes nucleate/propagate within carbonates and evaporites.
• Mechanical behavior of carbonate rocks and evaporites during deformation experiments.
• Internal strain and shear localization in anhydrite and dolomite at T=75 °C with fluids.
• Microstructural analysis shows localization of deformation.
• Mechanism for earthquake nucleation/propagation within carbonate rocks.

Seismological observations show that many destructive earthquakes nucleate within, or propagate through, thick sequences of carbonates and evaporites. For example, along the Apennines range (Italy) carbonate and evaporite sequences are present at hypocentral depths for recent major earthquakes (5.0