1. n. [Geophysics]

The graphical comparison of well-understood datasets, called type curves, to another dataset. If a certain type curve closely corresponds to a dataset, then an interpretation of similarity can be made, although, as Sheriff (1991) points out, there might be other type curves that also match the data of interest. Curve matching differs from curve fitting in that curve fitting involves theoretical models rather than actual examples.

See: curve fitting,  type curves