A geological cross section is a diagram that displays geological relationships in a vertical plane extending into the Earth. Such diagrams present the appearance of exposing a slice of the Earth's interior to view. Cross-sections may be constructed entirely from either surface or subsurface data, or they may include both. Subsurface information can be derived from written logs of wells, samples, and cores or from geophysical techniques such as electric logging and seismic surveys (see Well Logging). Cross-sections are important tools that aid in the interpretation and presentation of geological data, however; they provide only a two-dimensional picture and must be interpreted accordingly. They are most effectively used in conjunction with other illustrative techniques. Langstaff and Morril (1981) and Ragan (1985) provide a thorough discussion of cross-section construction and use.
Types of Cross-Sections
The two basic types of cross-sections are structural and stratigraphic. The...
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Reference
Barnes, J. W., 1981, Basic Geological Mapping. New York: Halsted Press (Geological Society of London Handbook Series No. 1), New York, 112p.
Bishop, M. S., 1960, Subsurface Mapping. New York: Wiley, 198p.
Langstaff, C. S. and D. Morril, 1981, Geologic Cross-sections. Boston: International Human Resources Development Corporation, 108p.
Moore, C. A., 1963, Handbook of Subsurface Geology. New York: Harper & Row, 235p.
Roberts, J. L., 1982, Geologic Maps and Structures. New York: Pergamon Press, 332p.
Ragan, D., 1985, Structural Geology: An Introduction to Geometrical Techniques, 3rd ed. New York: Wiley, 393p.
Simpson, B., 1968, Geological Maps. New York: Pergamon Press, 98p.
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© 1988 Van Nostrand Reinhold Company Inc.
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Stieglitz, R.D. (1988). Cross-sections . In: General Geology. Encyclopedia of Earth Science. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-30844-X_21
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