4. Model Identification

To predict responses of geological objects on man-made or natural impacts by applying mathematical methods, i.e., by solving differential or integral equations, the pertinent properties of the geological objects should be assigned continuously, that is, at each point of the objects and at each instant of the period of simulation, if the properties vary in time, besides maybe countable sets of points, i.e., isolated in space and time points. The boundary and initial conditions must be known in the same way. Unfortunately, only an infinitesimal part of the required geological information is available from direct observations and measurements. This information gap must be filled, and geological models have to do the job. They are a tool for interpolation and extrapolation of the sparse available data to all points of the geological objects of interest.