分形与混沌理论的研究与发展，揭示了自然界中一大类无规几何形体物理过程的内在规律性及其动力演化过程的内在随机性。这给我们探索自然界中分形客体的几何形态及其与内部物理本质的关系提供了一条暂新的途径。特别是这一理论给我们探讨地震问题，例如：探讨地震活动时空分布的确定性图像、地震演化过程的动力学行为、临界特征以及未来大地震的发生等问题，带来了某些希望。本文较详细地综述了近年来分形与混沌理论在地震学中的应用研究。全文共分５部分。第１部分是孕震过程的一般概述。第２部分描述单分形与多分形在地震学中的某些应用．文中第３部分介绍了混沌动力学中的某些研究在测震学与模型中的应用。第４部分综述了自组织临界现象和闪变噪声的研究．最后，第５部分是分形理论与混沌动力学在地球科学中的应用前景与展望． 分形与分维 自组织临界现象 Abstract: With the studies and developments on fractals and chaotic theory irregularity on geometrics and the inherent stochasticity of dynamical evolution of a big class of natural phenomena have been revealed.It provides some new approaches and possibility for us to explore the physical essence of the natural phenomena, especially, to seismic problems. For example, we can apply nonlinear scientific theory to study the deterministic pattern of seismic activity, dynamic behaviour in seismogenic process and critical characters of the occurrence of large earthquake in future.In this article, the applied investigations of fractals and chaotic theory to seismology are reviewed in detail.This paper is divided into five sections.The general outline of seismogenic porcess is discribed in the first part. Some applications of fractals and chaotic theory to seismogenic porcess are discussed in section two and three respectively. In the section four, the SOC theory and its some applications to earthquake problems are discussed. The final, some applied perspectives for nonlinear science to earth science are discussed. Key words: Fractals and fractal dimcnsion Multifractals Chaos Flicker moise