GG303 Lab 1 9 / 1 0 / 0 3 1

Stephen Martel Lab1- 1 University of Hawaii

ORIENTATIONS OF LINES AND PLANES IN SPACE
I Main Topics
A Definitions of points, lines, and planes
B Geologic methods for describing lines and planes
C Attitude symbols for geologic maps
D Reference Frames
II Definitions of points, lines, and planes
A Poi nt
1 Defined by one set of coordinates (an ordered triple in 3-D)
2 Defined by distance and direction from a reference point
3 Intersection of two lines
4 Intersection of three planes
B Line
1 Defined by two sets of coordinates
2 Defined by two points
3 Defined by distance from a reference point and the direction of
the line
Reference point
Direction
4 Intersection of two planes
C Plane
1 Defined by three sets of coordinates
2 Defined by three points
3 Defined by distance and direction from a reference point
Reference point
Direction of
line normal to
plane
Plane
(edge view)
d
4 Defined by two intersecting or two parallel lines
GG303 Lab 1 9 / 1 0 / 0 3 2
Stephen Martel Lab1- 2 University of Hawaii
III Geologic methods for describing lines and planes
A Orientations of lines
1 Trend & plunge
a Trend: Direction (azimuth) of a vertical plane containing the
line of interest.
i Azimuth (compass bearing): direction of a horizontal line
contained in a vertical plane. Measured by quadrant or ().
Examples: N90E, N90W, S90W, 270.
i i The trend "points" in the direction a line plunges
b Pl unge: The inclination of a line below the horizontal
2 Pitch (or rake): the angle, measured in a plane of specified
orientation, between one line and a horizontal line (see handout)
B Orientations of planes
1 Orientation of two intersecting lines in the plane
Strike & dip
a Stri ke: direction of the line of intersection between an
inclined plane and a horizontal plane (e.g., a lake);
b Dip: inclination of a plane below the horizontal; 0dip90
c The azimuth directions of strike and dip are perpendicular
d Good idea to specify the direction of dip to eliminate
ambiguity, but right hand rule (see handout) can also be used.
e Examples: Strike N90W Dip 45N ri ght-handed
Strike N90W Dip 45S left-handed: dont use
f NOTE: Trend and plunge refer to lines; strike and dip
refer to planes
2 Orientation of one special line in the plane
Dip & dip direction (azimuth of dip)
a Used mostly in Europe
b Water runs down the dip direction
3 Trend & plunge of pole (unit normal) to plane
1 Pole is a line traditionally taken to point down
2 Pole trend = strike - 90; pole plunge = 90 - dip
GG303 Lab 1 9 / 1 0 / 0 3 3
Stephen Martel Lab1- 3 University of Hawaii
Attitude Symbol for a Plane and its Pole
30 60
Dip Plunge
P
l
a
n
e
P
o
l
e
The pole trends 180
o
from the direction the plane dips
The plane dip and pole plunge sum to 90
o
Map View
Cross section
The plane appears as a line if viewed in the direction of strike
I V Attitude symbols (strike and dip of a plane; trend and plunge of a line)
45
N
20
Plane strikes SW
dips 45to NW
Line trends west;
plunges 20
V Reference frames
A Cartesian coordinates
1 Points are described by their x, y, z coordinates
2 The x,y, and z axes are right-handed and mutually perpendicular
3 Direction of a line
a Given by the coordinates of pairs of points
b Given by the difference in coordinates of pairs of points
i x = x
2
- x
1
i i y = y
2
- y
1
i i i z = z
2
- z
1
b Given by the angles
x
,
y
, and
z
. These are the angles
between a line of unit length and the x, y, and z axes,
respectively. The respective cosines of the these
angles ( , , ) are called the direction cosines.
Angle

x

y

z
Direction cosine
4 Length of a line
L = x
2
x
1
( )
2
+ y
2
y
1
( )
2
+ z
2
z
1
( )
2
= x
( )
2
+ y
( )
2
+ z
( )
2
A line of unit length has a length of one.
GG303 Lab 1 9 / 1 0 / 0 3 4
Stephen Martel Lab1- 4 University of Hawaii
B Cylindrical coordinates (3-D version of polar coordinates)
1 Point P is described by its , , z coordinates
a = distance from the origin to P', where P' is the projection of
point P onto x,y plane
b = angle between x-axis and the OP'
c z = distance from origin to projection of point P onto z-axis
C Spherical coordinates
1 Points are described by their r, , coordinates
a r = distance from the origin to point P
Not e: r here is different than for cylindrical coordinates
b = angle between x-axis and the OP', where P' is the
projection of point P onto x,y plane
c = angle between OP' and OP
Note: In some spherical schemes, the angle between OP and the
z-axis is used as the second angle.
D Conversions between coordinate systems
Cartesian Spherical
x = r cos cos = cos cos
y = r cos sin = cos sin
z = r sin = sin
Spherical Cartesian
r = x
2
+ y
2
+ z
2
1 =
2
+
2
+
2
= tan
-1
(y/x) = tan
-1
(/)
= sin
-1
(z/r) = sin
-1
()
Cartesian Cylindrical
x = r cos
y = r sin
z = z
Cyl i ndri cal Cartesian
r = x
2
+ y
2
= tan
-1
(y/x)
z = z
Cylindrical Spherical Spherical Cylindrical
GG303 Lab 1 9 / 1 0 / 0 3 5
Stephen Martel Lab1- 5 University of Hawaii
Horizontal Plane
Horizontal Line
Horizontal Line
Horizontal Line
Dip direction
Strike direction
Vertical plane
Right hand rule for strike and dip directions: If thumb on right hand points in the direction
of strike the fingers on the right hand should point in the direction of dip
ORIENTATION OF LINES AND PLANES
Dip angle
PLANES
Horizontal Line
Horizontal Line
Vertical plane
Need to define orientation of plane for the pitch (rake) to have meaning
Plunge
LINES
Trend
Line 1
Line 2
Pitch
Plane
The POLE to a plane is a line that is perpendicular to the plane.
The trend of the pole is opposite the direction a plane dips.
The plunge of a pole and the dip of a plane sum to 90.
GG303 Lab 1 9 / 1 0 / 0 3 6
Stephen Martel Lab1- 6 University of Hawaii
Trend, Plunge, & Pitch
a
f
f
b
Vertical plane
normal to strike
of dipping plane
P
lu
n
g
e
P
lu
n
g
in
g
lin
e
P
itc
h
True dip
Vertical plane
containing
plunging line
a
b
c
e
d

(1) Trend = = strike + = strike + cos

-1
(d/c) = strike + cos
-1
{(cos )/(cos )}
(2) Trend = = strike + = strike + tan
-1
(b/d) = strike + tan
-1
{(cos )(tan)}
(3) Plunge = = sin
-1
(a/e) = sin
-1
{(sin )(sin)}
(4) Pitch = = sin
-1
(f/e) = sin
-1
{(sin) / (sin )}
Dipping plane
L
i
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o
f

s
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e

f
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d
i
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T
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d

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f

lin
e
N
sin
cos
tan
plunge () pitch () dip ()
a f a b
e e f c
c d b d
e e f c
a f a b
c d b d
Pitch = angle between
plunging line and
the line of strike for
the dipping plane
GG303 Lab 1 9 / 1 0 / 0 3 7
Stephen Martel Lab1- 7 University of Hawaii
Geologic Conventions for Measuring Orientations
Compass Bearings
By quadrant (relative to north or south). The angle does not exceed 90
By 360 azimuth (0 - 360)
Examples
N0E N45E N90E S45E S0E S45W S90W N45W
0 45 90 135 180 225 270 315
Li nes
Trend: A compass bearing
Plunge: An inclination below horizontal
Examples: The lines below all plunge at 30. Their trends vary accordin
g to the table above
30
30
30
30
30
30
30
30
Trend: S45E
Plunge: 30
N
Trend: N45W
Plunge: 30
Trend: N45E
Plunge: 30
Trend: S45W
Plunge: 30
Trend: 90
Plunge: 30
Trend: 270
Plunge: 30
Pl anes
Strike: A compass bearing
Dip: An inclination below horizontal
Examples: The planes below all dip at 70. Their strikes vary according
to the table above
70
70
70
70
70
70
70
70
N
Strike: N90E
Dip: 70S
The "S" is useful
Strike: S45W
Dip: 70NW
The "NW" is useful
Strike: 315
Dip: 70NE
The "NE" is useful
GG303 Lab 1 9 / 1 0 / 0 3 8
Stephen Martel Lab1- 8 University of Hawaii
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GG303 Lab 1 9 / 1 0 / 0 3 9
Stephen Martel Lab1- 9 University of Hawaii
Magnetic Declination and a Geologic Compass
When the declination is set correctly,
if the compass body points to true north,
then the magnetic needle of the compass points to magnetic north
and the compass reads "0"
x
Hudson Bay
(Magnetic
North Pole)
Miss R.
North Pole
HI
MN MN N N
Hawaii New York
0
11
White end of needle points north;
black end points south
GG303 Lab 1 9 / 1 0 / 0 3 1 0
Stephen Martel Lab1- 10 University of Hawaii

2
+
2
+
2
= 1
Direction Cosines from Geologic Angle Measurements
(Spherical coordinates)
Positive z-axis up
y = north; x = east
z = up
x = east
y = north
x = north
xy plane is horizontal plane
RIGHT-HANDED
COORDINATES
Orthographic Projection
of vector OA onto xy plane
O
A Unit Vector OA
Remember: Trends are azimuths
and are measured in a horizontal
plane. Plunges are inclinations
and are measured in a vertical plane.
A
The direction cosines and
are determined from OA, the length
of OA being |OA| =|OA| cos = cos .
cos
x
cos
y
cos
z
= cos
x
= (cos ) (sin )
= cos
y
= (cos ) (cos )
= cos
z
= - (sin )
Positive z-axis down
x = north; y = east
z = down
y = east
xy plane is horizontal plane
RIGHT-HANDED
COORDINATES
O
A Unit Vector OA
P
lu
n
g
e
=


Remember: Trends are azimuths
and are measured in a horizontal
plane. Plunges are inclinations
and are measured in a vertical plane.
A
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are determined from OA, the length
of OA being |OA| =|OA| cos = cos .
cos
y
cos
x
cos
z
= cos
x
= (cos ) (cos )
= cos
y
= (cos ) (sin )
= cos
z
= +(sin )

2
+
2
+
2
= 1
P
lu
n
g
e
=


Trend =
Trend =
GG303 Lab 1 9 / 1 0 / 0 3 1 1
Stephen Martel Lab1- 11 University of Hawaii
Lab 1
1 Measure the strikes and dips of 4 of the planes in the HIG courtyard, and write them in the
table below. (16 points total)
Scoring: Strikes:1 pt if within 3, 1/2 pt if within 8; 1 pt for syntax
Dips: 1 pt if within 3, 1/2 pt if within 8
2 Determine the trend and plunge of the pole to each of the four planes in step 1, and write
them in the table below. (16 points total)
Scoring: 1 pt for correct numerical calculation; 1 pt for correct syntax
Plane ID# St ri ke
(2 pts/ box)
Di p
(2 pts/ box)
Pole trend
(2 pts/ box)
Pole plunge
(2 pts/ box)
A
B
C
D
E
F
3 Plot the attitudes of the planes on the courtyard map. (8 pts total)
Scoring: 1 pt for correct symbol and orientation
1 pt for correct location ( 1/2 box)
4 Measure the trends and plunges of 4 of the lines in the HIG courtyard, and write them in the
table below. (16 points total)
Scoring: Trends: 1 pt if within 3, 1/2 pt if within 8; 1 pt for syntax
Plunges: 2 pts if within 3, 1 pt if within 8
Line ID # Trend Plunge Line ID # Trend Plunge
A1 A2
B1 B2
C1 C2
D1 D2
E1 E2
F1 F2
5 Plot the attitudes of the lines on the courtyard map. (8 pts total)
Scoring: 1 pt for correct symbol and orientation
1 pt for correct location ( 1/2 box)
GG303 Lab 1 9 / 1 0 / 0 3 1 2
Stephen Martel Lab1- 12 University of Hawaii
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