| Quantifying the Geometry of Microfolds in 3D | |
| Personnel: D. D. Pollard, A. Kreek and J. O. Kaven Sponsor: Stanford University, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education | |
| Description: On New Mexico's southeastern border with Texas, lies the Castile microfold location. The formation here consists of thin alternating layers of calcite and gypsum (or anhydrite), which have been deformed into folds with a remarkable variety of shapes. Because these microfolds lie in an area where confining pressures, ductility and timing are the same for larger folds, it is an ideal place to collect data that can be used for a deeper understanding of the mechanics of folding. Kirkland and Anderson (1970) describe this area and the folds it contains, but their analysis was only in two dimensions and lacks the perspective of modern fold mechanics and the tools of differential geometry. There are no 3-D data sets available for advanced modeling. We propose to expand upon their initial description of the folding in this area and make data available for further analysis of the folding processes. | |
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