Principles of Rock Deformation (Petrology and Structural

Principles of Rock Deformation (Petrology and Structural Geology, 2)

Physicists attempt to reduce natural phenomena to their essential dimensions by means of simplification and approximation and to account for them by defining natural laws. Paradoxically, whilst there is a critical need in geology to reduce the overwhelming field information to its essentials, it often reÂ mains in an over-descriptive state. This prudent attitude of geologists is dictated by the nature of the subjects being consiÂ dered, as it is often difficult to derive the significant parameÂ ters from the raw data. It also follows from the way that geoloÂ gical work is carried out. Geologists proceed, as in a police investigation, by trying to reconstruct past conditions and events from an analysis of the features preserved in rocks. In physics all knowledge is based on experiment but in the Earth Sciences experimental evidence is of very limited scope and is difficult to interpret. The geologist's cautious approach in accepting evidence gained by modelling and quantification is sometimes questionable when it is taken too far. It shuts out potentially fruitful lines of advance; for instance when refuÂ sing order of magnitude calculations, it risks being drowned in anthropomorphic speculation. Happily nowadays, many more studies tend to separate and order the significant facts and are carried out with numerical constraints, which although they are approxiÂ mate in nature, limit the range of hypotheses and thus give rise to new models.
Country USA
Brand Springer
Manufacturer Springer
Binding Paperback
ItemPartNumber biography
ReleaseDate 1987-01-31
UnitCount 1
Format Illustrated
EANs 9789027723697

Country	USA
Brand	Springer
Manufacturer	Springer
Binding	Paperback
ItemPartNumber	biography
ReleaseDate	1987-01-31
UnitCount	1
Format	Illustrated
EANs	9789027723697

Principles of Rock Deformation (Petrology and Structural Geology, 2)