Anisotropy of grain boundaries in crystals: a new measurement technique applied to polar ice
Résumé
To analyse a polycrystalline material which has undergonemechanical sollicitations, we quantify the deformationof grain boundaries. Weinvestigate a pattern which recordspast deformations: a deep ice core, in Dome Concordia, Antarctica.Its ice microstructure (grain boundaries) is a key feature useful tostudy ice evolution and to investigate climatic changes. Ourmethod extracts quantitative physical information, such as theanisotropy and the local heterogeneity of the deformation. Thisleads to a re-examination of current models used in datation. Themethod also applies to extract quantitative geometricalinformation from other cellular patterns, ranging from metal processing and biologicaltissues to foams and granular matter.