Deformation of the earth's crust occurs on all scales, from microscopic crystal lattice dislocations to huge structures such as the San Andreas Fault that are hundreds of kilometers long. This course will address different aspects of structural analysis, with the ultimate goal of understanding structures in hand samples and outcrops as well as the regional and tectonic significance of structurally deformed rocks.
The structure course is organized into three major sections and will begin with methods of evaluating the strain or deformation in rocks. Quantification of stretching or compression of geologic structures will be undertaken through geometrical construction, as well as measurement and calculation. The array of structures that can occur in rocks, including folds, faults, joints, and cleavage, will be discussed in the second section of the course. Structural information from folds, for example, can be gleaned from many characteristics, such as the fold orientation and relative thickness of limbs and hinges. The last section will be concerned with dynamic analysis of structures, the orientations and magnitudes of stresses that produced deformation. Finally, the tectonic context of structures will complete the semester.
A field mapping project, involving a required weekend trip in early April, will allow you to study certain structures in their natural setting. Weekly laboratory exercises will emphasize experimentation and practical techniques for structural study and interpretation.
