Beskrivelse: GeologicStructures are a configuration of matter in the Earth based on describable inhomogeneity, pattern, or fracture in an Earth Material. The scale of geological structures ranges from microscopic (micron-scale) to megascopic (km-scale). Examples of such inhomogeneities include fractures, mineral grain boundaries, and boundaries between parts of the rock with different particle geometry (texture) or composition. Geologic structure is grounded in relationships between parts of a rock or rock body. As used here, it includes sedimentary structures. The identity of a Geologic Structure is independent of the material that is the substrate for the structure. There are almost always strong dependencies between the nature of the Earth Material substrate and the kinds of Geological Structure that may be present. A disaggregated heap of particles does not have structure, and can only be described in terms of the mineralogy and geometrical character of the constituent particles. Geologic Structures are more likely to be found in, and are more persistent in, consolidated materials than in unconsolidated materials. Properties like "clast-supported", "matrix-supported", and "graded bed" that do not involve orientation are considered kinds of Geologic Structure because they depend on the configuration of parts of a rock body.
