An Introduction to the Study of Fabrics of Geological Bodies

Book excerpt: An Introduction to the Study of Fabrics of Geological Bodies introduces the reader to the method of fabric studies in accordance with the principles of symmetrology, with emphasis on the link between morphological and functional fabrics. Topics covered include affine and non-affine movement-pictures; movement and symmetry of tectonic deformation; tectonics and fluid mechanics; and movement and symmetry of apposition. Some examples of the use and definition of fabric studies are presented. This book is divided into two parts and begins with an overview of the concepts and objectives of fabric studies, paying particular attention to symmetry and rhythm in morphological and functional fabrics; the movement-picture of affine deformations; and non-affine deformation by gliding on a single set of planes. The discussion then turns to the distribution of planar and linear parallel-fabrics in geological bodies; constructive restoration of earlier geometry of tectonic fabrics; tectonics of intrusives with a high susceptibility to componental movement; and mechanical deformation and metamorphism of rocks. The general characteristics of grain-fabrics are also described. This monograph will be a useful resource for geologists and those working in the fields of mineralogy and petrography.