| Abstract Scope |
Avalanche-like energy release events are common in complex systems, from earthquakes to microscale plastic deformation. In this work, we establish a quantitative analogy between dislocation avalanches in single-crystal nickel and seismic events using in situ microcompression combined with high-resolution acoustic emission (AE) measurements. We introduce a physically grounded definition of “mainshocks” in the context of plastic deformation based on the spectral content and temporal evolution of AE signals. These mainshocks correlate with abrupt strain bursts and are used to analyze event sequences analogous to seismic foreshocks and aftershocks. The dislocation avalanche dynamics follow key seismic scaling laws, including the Gutenberg–Richter, Omori, and Båth laws, revealing universal, scale-free behavior. Moreover, the size-dependence of the avalanche's AE response is investigated. While the overall avalanche statistics are size-independent, AE amplitudes and load drops scale with micropillar diameter. These findings offer a new framework for interpreting plasticity through the lens of earthquake physics. |