Description of the Active Faults of Eurasia Database

Introduction   Principles and methods   Source materials   Object properties   Justifying attributes   Valuation attributes   Conclusion  

3. Description of the properties of the database objects

3.1. Justifying and evaluative attributes of objects

The geometry of the database objects is determined by the coordinates of their nodes in the layer created by both vectorization of paper maps and conversion from initial databases (with subsequent correction of their position according to contextual materials). A more difficult task is to find a way to formalize the characteristics of objects that would retain all the important information from source materials and permits comparison and ranking of objects.

The database stores geological characteristics and their justifications for all objects in a single table, one record per object. In this record, each characteristic of the object corresponds to an individual field. The content of the field is the value of the corresponding attribute of the database object.

Below are the attributes of the database object in the order of record.
AUTH - links to sources of data on the activity of the structure.
NAME - name of the active structure and (or) its structural zone.
PARM - characteristics of the active structure recorded in a specific format.
TEXT - additional information about the active structure, in free text form.
SNS1 is the main component of motion, the predominant kinematic type.
SNS2 is a minor component, smaller in amplitude or less expressed.
SIDE - identifier of which flank of the structure is raised.
RATE - rank of rate of recent tectonic movements along the structure.
CONF - rank of reliability of arguments for activity of the structure.

We consider the set of attributes selected for ranking database objects sufficient to reflect all the main and essential characteristics of active structures. However, it includes only those parameters that are most likely to be evaluated in practice. Important information that is available only for the minority of faults should be recorded, although in additional attributes for a comprehensive description of objects.

When compiling a database for each object, the key fields of the attribute table must be filled, since they comprise an object of the database. For each database object must be provided: sources of information, predominant kinematics, ranks of rate and reliability. To compare data for different sets of attributes, it is important to fill in the maximum number of table fields with relevant information in a specific format.

Attributes of database objects are divided into two types: the most objective primary data (justifying attributes), and the secondary indices (estimative attributes) proposed by the authors of the database. The content of justifying attributes, which provide specific information from sources with references to them, is intended to justify estimative attributes. Their values ​​are derived from the content of substantiating attributes and allow us to differentiate and compare objects, but sometimes they are conventional and even assumed by relations with adjacent objects and the general background of the considered parameter in the region.

Далее: 3.2 Characterization of justifying attributes