As iron‐bearing minerals—ferrimagnetic minerals in particular—are sensitive to stress, temperature, and presence of fluids in fault zones, their magnetic properties provide valuable insights into physical and chemical processes affecting fault rocks. Here, we review the advances made in magnetic studies of fault rocks in the past three decades. We provide a synthesis of the mechanisms that account for the magnetic changes in fault rocks and insights gained from magnetic research. We also integrate nonmagnetic approaches in the evaluation of the magnetic properties of fault rocks. Magnetic analysis unveils microscopic processes operating in the fault zones such as frictional heating, energy dissipation, and fluid percolation that are otherwise difficult to constrain. This makes magnetic properties suited as a “strain indicator,” a “geothermometer,” and a “fluid tracer” in fault zones. However, a full understanding of faulting‐induced magnetic changes has not been accomplished yet. Future research should focus on detailed magnetic property analysis of fault zones including magnetic microscanning and magnetic fabric analysis. To calibrate the observations on natural fault zones, laboratory experiments should be carried out that enable to extract the exact physicochemical conditions that led to a certain magnetic signature. Potential avenues could include (1) magnetic investigations on natural and synthetic fault rocks after friction experiments, (2) laboratory simulation of fault fluid percolation, (3) paleomagnetic analysis of postkinematic remanence components associated with faulting processes, and (4) synergy of interdisciplinary approaches in mineral‐magnetic studies. This would help to place our understanding of the microphysics of faulting on a much stronger footing.

中文翻译：

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断层岩的磁学性质揭示的断层过程

由于含铁矿物（特别是亚铁磁性矿物）对应力，温度以及断裂带中的流体敏感，因此它们的磁性为深入研究影响断裂岩石的物理和化学过程提供了宝贵的见识。在这里，我们回顾了过去三十年在断层岩磁性研究中取得的进展。我们提供了解释断层岩中磁性变化的机制的综合资料，以及从磁性研究中获得的见解。我们还将非磁性方法整合到断层岩磁性评估中。磁分析揭示了在故障区域中运行的微观过程，例如摩擦加热，能量耗散和流体渗透，这些过程否则很难约束。这使磁性能适合用作“应变指示器”，“地热仪”，”和故障区域中的“流体示踪剂”。但是，对断层引起的磁变化的全面了解尚未完成。未来的研究应集中在断层带的详细磁性能分析上，包括磁性显微扫描和磁性织物分析。为了校准对自然断层带的观测，应该进行实验室实验，以提取出导致一定磁特征的确切物理化学条件。可能的途径可能包括（1）摩擦实验后对天然和合成断层岩进行磁研究，（2）断层渗流的实验室模拟，（3）与断层过程相关的运动后剩磁成分的古磁分析以及（4）跨学科协同作用矿物磁研究的方法。