As an important part of the continental lithosphere, the continental lower crust can influence and control many important geodynamic processes, which are of great significance to the evolution of the lithosphere. Extensive plastic deformation is common in continental lower crust. There have been many studies focusing on the rheology of the continental lower crust in the past few decades. This paper provides a review on the effects of water on the rheology of dominant minerals (clinopyroxene, plagioclase and garnet) and rocks in the continental lower crust. The water contents in continental lower crustal minerals and rocks are in general rich and very heterogenous from sample to sample and region to region. Water can significantly reduce the strength of clinopyroxene, plagioclase, garnet and lower crustal rocks. Water can also have a profound influence on fabric development and slip systems in lower crustal minerals. Quantitative experimental investigations and extensive natural studies of water effect on rheology are necessary to refine the classic lithosphere strength profile models and to address the existing controversy on strength of the continental lower crust.

作为大陆岩石圈的重要组成部分，大陆下地壳可以影响和控制许多重要的地球动力学过程，这对岩石圈的演化具有重要意义。塑性变形在大陆下地壳中很普遍。在过去的几十年中，有许多研究集中在大陆下地壳的流变学上。本文综述了水对陆相下地壳中主要矿物（斜纹岩，斜长石和石榴石）和岩石流变学的影响。大陆下部地壳矿物和岩石中的水含量通常很丰富，并且每个样品和每个区域都非常不均匀。水会显着降低斜辉石，斜长石，石榴石和下地壳岩石的强度。水也可能对低地壳矿物中的织物发育和滑移系统产生深远影响。定量实验研究和水对流变学影响的广泛自然研究对于完善经典岩石圈强度剖面模型和解决大陆下地壳强度存在的争议是必要的。