Editing Structural geology (section)

====Rock macro-structures====
On a large scale, structural geology is the study of the three-dimensional interaction and relationships of stratigraphic units within [[terrane]]s of rock or geological regions.

This branch of structural geology deals mainly with the orientation, deformation and relationships of stratigraphy (bedding), which may have been faulted, folded or given a foliation by some tectonic event. This is mainly a geometric science, from which ''[[Cross section (geology)|cross sections]]'' and three-dimensional ''block models'' of rocks, regions, terranes and parts of the Earth's crust can be generated.

Study of regional structure is important in understanding [[orogeny]], [[plate tectonics]] and more specifically in the oil, [[Natural gas|gas]] and [[mineral]] exploration industries as structures such as faults, folds and [[unconformity|unconformities]] are primary controls on ore mineralisation and oil traps.

Modern regional structure is being investigated using [[seismic tomography]] and [[seismic]] reflection in three dimensions, providing unrivaled images of the Earth's interior, its faults and the deep crust. Further information from [[geophysics]] such as [[gravity]] and airborne magnetics can provide information on the nature of rocks imaged to be in the deep crust.