Fractures populations are not just random datasets – Part I
As always, focusing on definitions, a model is defined by google as:
“model
/ˈmɒd(ə)l/
noun
a three-dimensional representation of a person or thing or of a proposed structure, typically on a smaller scale than the original.“
Earth, a massive layered body and the layer where we inhabitate, the crust, have a whole different mechanical behaviour to the rest of composing layers, say for instance, the underlying mantle which, in geological time, behaves as a viscous fluid although instantly is regarded as a solid.
The crust is composed in its majority of solidified, compacted sediments that, under the constant dynamics of matter and energy, can fracture and therefore, has a brittle behaviour, which is mainly controlled locally by material composition and morphology (granular versus laminar).
To study earth deformation we can be as pure physicists, and go all the way to the atomic or even quantic composition scale or just simplify macro and maybe micro observations to then find patterns and commonalities between different locations on earth based on also common or similar structural history hypotheses and then try and relate or correlate them. In simple words, one can document the observations, compilate them and study each location to a certain degree of detail.
The Oily Blog 