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Lecture 1.1 Stereonets Intro Extra Text PDF

This document provides an introduction to stereographic projection techniques in structural geology. It explains that stereographic projections allow geologists to represent 3D structural data in 2D form, enabling easier visualization and manipulation of the data. Specifically, it describes how linear or planar features can be projected onto the lower hemisphere of a sphere and then projected again onto a horizontal plane, resulting in points or circles that represent the 3D orientation of the structural features. Mastering stereographic projections allows geologists to measure angles between structures and perform 3D rotations of structural data.

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Bradley D'souza
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59 views4 pages

Lecture 1.1 Stereonets Intro Extra Text PDF

This document provides an introduction to stereographic projection techniques in structural geology. It explains that stereographic projections allow geologists to represent 3D structural data in 2D form, enabling easier visualization and manipulation of the data. Specifically, it describes how linear or planar features can be projected onto the lower hemisphere of a sphere and then projected again onto a horizontal plane, resulting in points or circles that represent the 3D orientation of the structural features. Mastering stereographic projections allows geologists to measure angles between structures and perform 3D rotations of structural data.

Uploaded by

Bradley D'souza
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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201/507/241 Structural Geology

Lecture 1.1: Introduction Stereographic Projection Techniques


Structural geology is concerned with the analysis of the geometry of different rock
units, the way in which the particles which make up the rock body got into their
current configuration (kinematics) and the forces that produced the shape changes
associated with deformation (dynamics). To assess these features a study of 3-D
data is required. However, the 3-D geometry of structures is often difficult to
visualise. The stereographic projection is a tool that allows 3-D data to be illustrated
in a 2-D form and furthermore allows the rapid and relatively simple manipulation of
structural 3-D data. The technique uses standard geometrical constructions that can
be easy visualised and presented graphically.
Consider the example of a geological map comprising bedding measurements. It is
possible to represent that data using rose diagrams to illustrate the directions of
strike of the beds and a histogram to illustrates the variation in dip.

However, to fully interpret and understand the data we need a technique that allows
both strike and dip to be visualised in a single plot. The technique is the
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201/507/241 Structural Geology

stereographic projection technique. Stereographic projections also allow us to


measure the angles between different linear or planar elements and allow us to
undertake 3-D rotations of structural data. These two areas will be discussed in the
following two labs.
Stereographic Projection: a Simple Explanation of the Technique
1) Let us consider a line that we have measured in the field. In 3-D the line
orientation is defined by its dip and dip direction. We can imagine this line in 3 D
with respect to a N-S-E-W reference coordinate system. A plane can be imagined
in the same way.

2) Let us now assume that at the point where the line intersects the Earth's surface,
E, is the centre of a sphere. We can project the line along its length until it
intersects the surface of the sphere at a point, P. This point is called the
SPHERICAL PROJECTION of the line. For a plane, we can envisage the plane
passing through the centre of the sphere and again intersecting the surface of the
sphere. In this case the line of contact is now a circle which has a radius which is
the same as the radius of the sphere. This is called a GREAT CIRCLE. Circles on
a sphere that do not have the same radius as the sphere are called SMALL
CIRCLES. Using this approach any plane or line can be represented by a point or
line on the lower hemisphere.

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201/507/241 Structural Geology

3) To represent the data in 2-D we can project from the spherical projection of a line
or plane in the lower hemisphere onto a horizontal PLANE OF PROJECTION.
This is done by constructing a line from a point on the lower hemisphere to the
zenith of the sphere and recording its intersection with the plane of projection. For
a plane, the line on the hemisphere can be considered as a number of individual
points, each of which can be projected on to the plane of projection. The result is
a circular arc. All projected points ultimately lie within the primitive circle.

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201/507/241 Structural Geology

Summary
Imagine:
1) The hollow sphere with the lines / planes to be stereographically projected
passing through its centre.
2) Extending the lines / planes until they intersect the lower hemisphere to give
points / great circles.
3) Viewing the entire lower hemisphere by looking through a hole drilled through the
uppermost point of the sphere. This view is exactly what the stereogram looks
like!

The spherical projection is always (in structural geology) located in the lower half of
the sphere because we always project down plunge. This is called a LOWER
HEMISPHERE PROJECTION.
In the lecture we will consider the following examples:
1) Plotting the orientation of planar and linear structures.
2) Plotting poles to planar structures
3) Establishing the orientation of the intersection of two planar structures and the
significance of the intersection lineation.

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