Recognising the crystallographic signature of recrystallisation processes in deformed rocks: a study of experimentally deformed rocksalt

The microstructural development of synthetic rocksalt experimentally deformed at 100–200°C can be dominated either by grain boundary migration recrystallisation or by subgrain rotation recrystallisation, depending on water content. Samples taken from both regimes have been analysed using automated electron backscatter diffraction in order to collect crystallographic orientation and misorientation data. The frequency distribution of boundary misorientations, the boundary hierarchy characteristics and the nature of any crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO) have been used to determine the crystallographic signature of both recrystallisation processes. Dominant subgrain rotation recrystallisation results in many low to medium angle (4–20°) boundaries, a strong CPO and a continuous boundary hierarchy. Dominant grain boundary migration recrystallisation results in few low or medium angle boundaries, and a discrete boundary hierarchy. The causes of these differences and the potential application of crystallographic signatures to the study of naturally deformed rocks are discussed.