Shear-sense indicators: A review (Paper Geological Survey of Canada)

The critical evaluation of the kinematic significance of natural geological deformation structures, particularly referring to the determination of shear-sense, requires a high degree of familiarity with the basic concepts of flow and the influence of material properties (discontinuities, rheological layering, anisotropy) on the nature of flow at the local scale. This publication includes information on flow, followed by a critical examination of geological deformation, structures which are commonly used as shear-sense indicators, foliations, stiff inclusions and their attendant wings, and folds and veins This review of shear-sense indicators in natural geological deformation structures provides an overview of geological flow and detailed explanations on the use of foliations, stiff inclusions, folds, and veins as indicators of shear-sense. The review's aim is to examine types of flow, and the kinematically significant structures which form in them, from a perspective which should be accessible to all interested geologists