RockDeformation-LSUGeologyGeophysics.PDFVIP

Deformation of Rocks: Big Ideas • Earth scientists use the structure, sequence, and properties of rocks, to reconstruct events in Earth’s history • Understanding geologic processes active in the modern world is crucial to interpreting Earth’s past • Over Earth’s vast history, both gradual and catastrophic processes have produced enormous changes – Super-continents formed and broke apart – mountains formed and eroded away Deformation of Rocks • Folds and faults are geologic structures caused by deformation. • Structural geology is the study of the deformation of rocks and its effects. Fig. 7.1 1 Orientation of Deformed Rocks We need some way to describe the distribution of geologic structures. So we use the terms strike and dip. Strike: compass direction of a rock layer as it Strike intersects with a horizontal surface. Dip: acute angle between the rock layer and Dip the horizontal surface, measured perpendicular to strike. Strike and Dip on a Rooftop Fig. 7.3 Strike and Dip in a Rock Structure Fig. 7.3 2 Strike and Dip in a Rock Structure Fig. 7.2 Stress: force per unit area Fig. 7.7 Strength • ability of an object to resist deformation • compressive or tensile Fig. 7.5