Self-organized pattern formation in geological soft matter

Abstract

Geological materials are often seen as the antithesis of soft; rocks are hard. However, during the formation of minerals and rocks, all the systems we shall discuss, indeed geological materials in general, pass through a stage where they are soft. This occurs either because they form at a high temperature — igneous or metamorphic rock — or because they form at a lower temperature but in the presence of water — sedimentary rock. For this reason it is useful to introduce soft-matter concepts into the geological domain. There is a universality in the diverse instances of geological patterns that may be appreciated by looking at the common aspect in their formation of having passed through a stage as soft matter.