Structural geology of rocks and regions / Структурная геология горных пород и регионов

Our purpose in writing this textbook is to communicate the physical and geometric elegance of geologic structures within the Earth’s crust and to describe the ways in which geologic structures reflect the nature and origin of crustal deformation through time. Geologic structures provide part of the basis for recognizing and reconstructing the profound changes that have marked the physical evolution of the Earth’s outer layers, as observed from the scale of the plates down to the scale of the microscopic. Understanding the nature and extensiveness of deformational structures in the Earth’s crust has both scientific value and practical benefit. But, there is a philosophical value as well. Our perceptions of who we are and where we are in time and space are shaped by facts and interpretations regarding the historical development of the crust of the planet on which we live. Knowing fully the extent to which our planet is dynamic, not static, is a reminder of the lively and special environment we inhabitat.
For example, we have come to understand that our earthly foundations are not fixed. Instead, we live on continent-size plates that are in a continual state of slow motion. The interaction of these plates has played a dominant role in both the formation and deformation of rock bodies in the Earth’s crust. Knowledge of present-day plate tectonic processes aids us in interpreting past structural movements. Furthermore, evaluating and interpreting past dynamics may help us predict what the present actions hold for the future. <...>