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See more from this Session: Models of Folding and Structural History of Shale Basins
Abstract:
We use this method to analyze half-wavelength folds and outline a method of characterizing fold shapes based on the characteristics of the best-fit third-order Bezier spline. Our algorithm places anchor points at inflection points in a fold profile and finds optimum positions of pulling points. Their relative positions fix four fold properties: (1) Fold altitude, the length of a line extending from a point midway between the anchor points to a point midway between the pulling points, which corresponds to fold amplitude; (2) Shift angle, the inclination of the line used to define fold altitude; (3) Rotation angle, the inclination from horizontal of the line connecting the pulling points; and lastly, (4) Fold width, which is half the distance between the two pulling points. These four parameters fully characterize fold shape and can readily be compared to previous fold characterization schemes. Because Bezier functions are parametric, they can represent profiles of folds of any orientation or asymmetry. Fold trains can be represented by either (a) higher order Bezier splines which have more pulling points or (b) a series of cubic splines which share anchor points (i.e. "patched" splines).
See more from this Division: Topical Sessions
See more from this Session: Models of Folding and Structural History of Shale Basins