Grain-size parameters of insoluble residues in mixed terrigenous-skeletal carbonate sediments and sedimentary rocks: some New Zealand examples

Grain-size parameters derived from the mechanical analysis of acid-insoluble residues from mixed terrigenous-shell beach sediments from Auckland, New Zealand, are more effective for interpreting the depositional processes, and for characterizing the beach environment on textural scatter plots, than are parameters based on the analysis of the total beach samples. This results mainly from the wide variations in size of hydraulically equivalent skeletal carbonate grains in the sediment, especially in the coarser size grades, but may also be accentuated by the local origin and susceptibility to alteration of the shell material. Compared with the total sediment grain-size distribution, the insoluble residues from the beach deposits are characteristically finer-grained, better sorted, and more consistently coarse-skewed and leptokurtic. The grain-size distribution characteristics of insoluble residues from several stratigraphic units in a sequence of Oligocene mixed terrigenous-skeletal shelf sediments in the South Auckland region distinguish depositional mechanisms and environmental energy levels for each unit that are consistent with interpretations made on the basis of carbonate petrography and palaeontology. With regard to the bulk content of terrigenous mud in the insoluble residues, the grain-size distribution of the fraction coarser than 4φ is alone diagnostic of the energy-time trends in these sediments. The grain-size parameters of the acid-insoluble residues in modern and ancient mixed terrigenous-skeletal carbonate sediments may provide more reliable criteria for distinguishing and characterizing the depositional environment of these deposits than do the parameters obtained from the size distribution of the total grain population.     

The relationship of sediment texture with coastal environments along the Kuala Terengganu Coast, Malaysia

The subtidal sediments of four coastal environments (beach, berm, surf zone and nearshore sea floor) of Kuala Terengganu have been studied in terms of their textural characteristics and depositional process. Sampling and statistical analyses of the grain size distributions of beach, surf zone and shallow sea-floor sediments at various locations along the coastline show that they varied in their mean grain size as well as values of sorting and skewness. The statistical parameters of grain size distributions thus allowed recognition of distinct sub-environments. The size distribution of such sediments suggests that the various processes that are responsible for their transportation and deposition are wave, current and wind action. The different energy conditions and the morphology of each coastal environment seem to be reflected in the characteristics of the sediments in each environment.     

Assessment of temporal changes in coastal sand dune environments using the log-hyperbolic grain-size method

Abstract Three cores (<9 m long) recovered from late Holocene coastal sand dunes in Northumberland, north‐eastern England, were examined stratigraphically and dated by the infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) method to the time period between the Medieval Warm Period (MWP; ≈ 900–1200 AD) and Little Ice Age (LIA; ≈ 1550–1800 AD). Grain‐size variability and CaCO₃ content were determined at 10‐mm intervals throughout parts of the cores. The sahara computer program was used to plot the log‐hyperbolic distribution (LHD) of grain‐size spectra from different stratigraphic levels and estimate the LHD's statistical components. Core samples plot variously in the depositional and erosional domains of the hyperbolic chi (χ) vs. xi (ξ) shape triangle, which describes components of sediment sorting. Depositional and erosional phases, discriminated within the LHD's shape triangle, cannot readily be resolved from core stratigraphies or correlated between cores. IRSL dates from single cores show a clustering about the period 1430–1540. Between the dated horizons, dunes accreted at ≈ 0·02–0·05 m year^?1, enabling the timing of excursions in χ and ξ to be estimated. These excursions, which can be resolved to the subannual level between the dated horizons, may be related to deposition by episodic storms or storm surges in the North Sea region, which is supported by historical documentary evidence. This innovative use of the LHD method and its derived statistics can be used successfully to describe temporal trends in coastal depositional environments and identify likely storm events in dune sediment records.     

Discrimination between coastal subenvironments using textural characteristics

The objective of this study was to discriminate between modern beach subenvironments based on textural characteristics obtained using the graphical (percentile) method, the moment method, and the log-hyperbolic distribution (LHD). A total of 126 surface sedimentation units were sampled at the nodes of a 21 x 6 rectangular grid (1000 m²) on a carbonate sand beach, Oahu, Hawaii. Sampling was conducted at low energy conditions from the lower foreshore to the backshore. Non-parametric discriminant analysis was used as an objective tool in defining distinct subenvironments. Confidence bands around the canonical variates derived from the graphic mean, sorting, skewness and kurtosis indicated four separate subenvironments (lower foreshore, mid-foreshore, upper foreshore and backshore). Three distinct subenvironments were identified using the mean, sorting (standard deviation) and skewness measures derived by the method of moments. A similar subenvironment distinction was obtained using five statistics of the LHD (gamma, γ; nu ν; delta, δ; tau, τ; and xi, ξ). No significant difference was noted in textural characteristics between the upper foreshore and backshore zones, and these zones were grouped into one subenvironment. These results indicate that different process scenarios would be needed to explain different subenvironment partitioning based simply on the approach adopted. Discriminant analysis indicated that fewer subenvironment samples were misclassified and separation distances between subenvironments in bivariate canonical plots were greater for the standard moment measures compared with the statistics derived from fitting the computationally intensive LHD model. Examination of the mass frequency grain size distributions indicated that the LHD was generally the most appropriate model. These observations were confirmed by the hyperbolic shape triangle which indicated that the LHD rather than the more commonly used log-normal distribution was generally optimal in describing sediments. These results support the use of the LHD statistical measures in subenvironment discrimination over the graphic-inclusive measures.     

钙质碎屑对热带海滩砂粒度参数的影响分析

钙质碳酸盐碎屑是热带海滩沉积物的重要组成部分,其物理特性与海滩中的石英颗粒差异明显。对海南岛东部文昌铜鼓角两侧海湾海滩砂样采用除钙和不除钙两种预处理方法,使用Mastersizer 2000激光粒度仪和筛析法进行粒度分析,结果表明:除钙以后粒度频率曲线主体朝细偏,但在粒度频率曲线细尾(4~9)会新增一小峰;去钙前后粒度参数存在明显的线性相关,平均粒径、分选系数和偏态的相关系数依次降低;粒度参数的组合变化以“平均粒径变细、分选系数变好、偏态朝细偏”为主,但仍存在其他的组合变化;在对类似于铜鼓岭周边环境的海滩进行沉积物粒度分析及动力环境研究时,需要了解钙质碎屑含量和颗粒组成。     

Quantitative characterization of grain shape: Implications for textural maturity analysis and discrimination between depositional environments

Grain shape plays an important role in textural analysis of sedimentary grains. Textural analysis helps to determine the formation, transportation and deposition processes of sedimentary rocks. However, there is a lack of standardized methodology for quantitative characterization of grain shapes. The utility of fully automated image analysis for grain shape measurement is assessed in this paper. This research aimed to identify the most useful shape parameters for textural characterization of populations of grains and determine the relative importance of the parameters. A key aspect of this study is to determine whether, in a particular sedimentary environment, textural maturity of the samples can be ranked based on their grain shape data. Furthermore, discrimination of sedimentary depositional environments is explored on the basis of grain shape. In this study, 20 loose sediment samples from four known depositional environments (beach, aeolian, glacial and fluvial) were analysed using newly implemented automatic image analysis methods. For each sample, a set of 11 shape parameters were calculated for 200 grains. The data demonstrate a progression in textural maturity in terms of roundness, angularity, irregularity, fractal dimension, convexity, solidity and rectangularity. Furthermore, statistical analysis provides strong support for significant differences between samples grouped by environment and generates a ranking consistent with trends in maturity. Based on novel application of machine learning algorithms, angularity and fractal dimension are found to be the two most important parameters in texturally classifying a grain. The results of this study indicate that textural maturity is readily categorized using automated grain shape parameter analysis. However, it is not possible to absolutely discriminate between different depositional environments on the basis of shape parameters alone. This work opens up the possibility of detailed studies of the relationship between textural maturity and sedimentary environment, which may be more complicated than previously considered.     

Depositional environments of coastal sediments of Calangute,Goa

The grain-size statistics and environmental conditions of deposition of the beach and dune sediments from the Calangute region, Goa, have been studied. The results of Student's t test and bivariate plots reveal that there exist distinct differences in grain-size parameters of the sediments from different environments and that these differences are highly significant. The study shows that the variations in mean grain size (Mz), graphic standard deviation (O₁), graphic skewness (Sk₁), simple sorting measure (So_s) and simple skewness measure (O_s) are significant in identifying the sediments from different environments. Further, the study reveals the usefulness of grain-size parameters not only in differentiating beach and dune sediments, but also in delineating the beach into foreshore and backshore. The differences in grain-size characteristics of the sediments between the environments reflect the transport, erosional and depositional mechanisms (active hydrodynamic processes in the beach foreshore and aerodynamic processes in the backshore and dune environments) prevailing in the area of study.     

山东峡山湖东岸现代滩坝沉积模式及控制因素*

滩坝作为发育于滨岸带非常重要的沉积储集层类型之一,已成为隐蔽油气藏勘探的目标。为进一步明确峡山湖东岸滨浅湖滩坝沉积模式,以现代沉积考察为基础,结合探地雷达技术和粒度分析资料,对东岸研究区滩坝砂体的沉积特征以及控制因素进行详细分析。结果表明: 峡山湖东岸主要发育风成沙丘及滩坝2种沉积体系。早期风成沉积物以发育连续性好的大型板状交错层理细砂为主,分选较好,粒度概率曲线以两段式为特征;滩坝沉积物以发育连续性差的板状交错层理、平行层理中砂为主,主要为反粒序或者复合粒序,具冲刷构造,岩性较混杂并以砂泥薄互层为特征,发育大量植物根系,粒度概率曲线以三段式为主,跳跃组分分为2段,分选较好。探地雷达资料表明研究区下部主要以厚层层状反射结构砂体为主,与风成沙丘沉积反射特征较为一致,环境敏感粒度组分对滩坝沉积较强的水动力作用有较好的指示。总体上,风力作用控制了风成砂体的沉积发育并且改变了古地貌条件,风浪作用冲刷改造了早期砂体,为滩坝的发育提供了物源,控制了滩坝发育的规模和地理位置,可概括为“风运—湖改”滩坝沉积模式,可为滩坝体系的识别和有利储集层预测提供指导。     

埃迪卡拉系微生物碳酸盐岩沉积特征及其地质意义:以川中磨溪8井区灯影组四段为例*

四川盆地高石梯—磨溪地区埃迪卡拉系灯影组广泛发育一套微生物碳酸盐岩。以磨溪8井区灯影组四段(灯四段)为例,通过精细解析高频向上变浅序列的岩石学特征,发现灯四段微生物云岩及序列建造具有如下特征: (1)向上变浅序列主要由凝块石云岩、叠层石云岩和(含微生物)泥晶云岩3类构成,伴以少量微生物粘结颗粒云岩;(2)完整的典型向上变浅序列自下而上由(含微生物)泥晶云岩(A段)、平直状叠层石云岩(B段)、小型丘状叠层石云岩(C段)、分散状凝块石云岩(D段)、格架状凝块石云岩(E段)、微生物粘结颗粒云岩(F段)等6个岩性单元构成,但大量的序列由A-C-E、A-C-D、B-D、B-C-D-E等不完整的岩性单元构成,且序列顶底皆以凝块石云岩/(含微生物)泥晶云岩、叠层石云岩/(含微生物)泥晶云岩等不平整的岩性突变面或暴露面区分;(3)埃迪卡拉系微生物碳酸盐岩发育于浪基面之上至平均海平面附近的相对高能区域,且凝块石云岩较叠层石云岩形成的环境能量高。该研究结果不仅揭示出较高能的浅水环境控制了规模性微生物岩分布这一规律,而且对区域储集层预测具有指导意义,同时也因建立了有别于现代微生物的环境分布模式而具有重要的沉积学意义。     

宣化地区古老的潮汐沉积

大约在十八亿年前左右,在经过长期风化剥蚀后基本上处于准平原状态的华北地台上,沿着北东向的几条基底断裂,形成一个沿朝阳、蓟县、石家庄、长治一线展布的北东向长形断陷沉积盆地。初期,可能仅在局部地区(如蓟县附近)沉积河流相砂砾岩。     

Grain size and mineralogy of Al Batinah beach sediments,Sultanate of Oman

The nature of Al Batinah coast beach sediments in the Sultanate of Oman was investigated by the analysis of grain size and mineralogy. The beach sediments, mostly light-medium gray green, were predominantly fine sands, with the average grain size of all samples about 200 μm. Some of the particles were gravel (2–16 mm), and some were even larger pebble-size particles (16–256 mm). Some mud (sediment <63 μm) was present, mostly in the sub-tidal sediments. The majority of the samples were skewed to the coarse size with coarse tail partly due to the presence of shell fragments. Approximately 50 % of the beach sediments were quartz with different varieties based on shape and size. The second major component of beach sediment was calcium carbonate which varied from 10 to 65 %. The other components in decreasing order consisted of microbreccia, feldspar, pyroxene, igneous rock fragments, biotite flakes, and heavy minerals. The levels of carbonate were lower in NW Al Batinah coast from Harmul to Al Khaburah but were higher in the SE from Al Khaburah to Al Ghubrah. This could be attributed to either lower carbonate production or more sediment input by wadis along the north-western part of Al Batinah coast. The unique and complex nature of these sediments is largely due to the geology of the terrestrial source area in the Hajar Mountains which contains the famous Samail ophiolite complex and the weak sorting along the shoreline in these tide-modified beaches.     

Grain size distribution expressed as tanh-functions

The grain size distribution within a unimodal sediment can be described as a lognormal distribution when the distribution is formed by only one process. However, most sediments are formed by more than one process giving polymodal sediments. Polymodal sediments have to be described as the sum of several normal distributions, one for each process involved within the formation. Grain size distributions are usually interpreted with the help of graphical methods. Interpretations of polymodal sediments require mathematical methods. In mathematical terms a unimodal sediment can be described as a tangential hyperbolic function (tanh) and a polymodal sediment can generally be described by the sum of two or three tanh-functions. The tanh-method is a tool for identifying and estimating the number of modes within a grain size distribution and helps interpret the processes involved within the formation of a deposit. The mathematical method can also be used to computerize sediment data, allowing storage with just a few numbers. Different samples can easily be compared and classified. Also, this method could be a valuable tool for calculations of various sediment parameters both in geotechnology and hydrogeology.     

Petrographical and petrophysical characteristics of asynchronous beachrocks along Al-Shoaiba Coast, Red Sea, Saudi Arabia

The present study describes the petrographic and petrophysical characteristics of three stratigraphically asynchronous beachrocks (A, B, and C) along the Red Sea coast at Al-Shoaiba area, Saudi Arabia, to identify the compositional, depositional, and diagenetic controls on beachrock formation and their petrophysical properties. The beachrocks at the three locations consist basically of calcareous skeletal remains of different types and grain size reflecting the composition of adjacent beach sediments and the depositional conditions. They were cemented by aragonite and high-Mg calcite (HMC) in intertidal zone. The cement exhibits three major fabrics: (1) micritic coatings, (2) isopachous to asymmetric aragonite rim, and (3) cryptocrystalline pore-fillings HMC. In addition, some intergranular and intragranular pores were partially filled with infiltrated silt-sized carbonate and siliciclastic sediments. The cementation was accomplished by the combination of inorganic and organic processes, and the former was dominant through evaporation of pore-filling seawater under hot and dry climatic conditions. Cementation in the present beachrocks is selective; carbonate grains are cemented, whereas siliciclastic grains are cement free. The cement nucleation on carbonate grains was easier than on siliciclastic grains which do not provide good "seed crystals" for carbonate cement growth. The petrophysical measurements are in agreement with petrographic studies. The degree of cementation is the major control on petrophysical characteristics where the lowest and highest porosity and permeability values were obtained from the least cemented beachrocks of location A and the highest cemented beachrocks of location B, respectively. The thickness of cement seems to be controlled by cement precipitation rate, grain size, and size and shape of pore spaces. The coarse sediments of beachrocks at location B were deposited under higher depositional energy than those at locations A and C, and therefore, their primary pore spaces were large enough to be filled with seawaters. Under hot and dry climate, cement precipitation increases leading to partial to complete occlusion of pore spaces.     

黄河三角洲东营港潮坪上的贝壳沉积

黄河三角洲东营港的泥质潮坪上发育大量的贝壳沉积。贝壳的特殊形态使其很容易被水流搬运,波浪的簸选、泥坪表面的侵蚀坑穴和植物根、堤坝等障碍物对贝壳的拦阻、与地形地貌或涨潮流的水流形态有关的流速降低都可以形成贝壳堆积。潮坪表面贝壳的沉积形态包括:与涨潮流有关的坑穴状、密集窝状、陡坎状、垄沟状、席状、带状以及潮汐水道中的混合沉积等类型;与波浪作用有关的堤坝状、堤坝遮挡沉积等类型。涨潮流流速降低的方式不同,贝壳沉积形态也会相应有较大的差别。另外,潮坪表面的细微起伏、潮坪底质类型和粘结性都会对贝壳的沉积形态造成较大影响,其中尤其是以密集窝状和陡坎状为特征。从东营港贝壳的沉积特征上看,潮坪上贝壳沉积的水动力条件与常见的砂砾滩、鲕粒滩、内碎屑滩有很大的不同,不能将介壳的富集一概归为滩坝相沉积。     

海啸波作用下泥沙运动——Ⅱ.床沙组成变化分析

在波浪水槽实验的基础上,对海啸波作用下的床沙组成变化规律开展研究。实验采用1/10~1/20的组合坡度,选取N波作为入射波。实验对波高进行采集,对波浪的上爬、回落和水跃过程进行拍摄记录,对每个波作用后的地形进行测量,并对初始和最终的床面顶层泥沙进行采样筛分。实验结果表明,N波作用下泥沙在离岸区水跃发生区域堆积,淤积沙坝泥沙粒径呈粗化趋势。同时采用规则波和非规则波进行对比,波浪作用后形成岸滩也为沙坝剖面,淤积沙坝泥沙粒径呈细化趋势,结果均遵循Çelikoğlu提出的泥沙运动的基本规律,细颗粒泥沙会在强烈的紊动作用下从床面中被筛选出来,并被搬运到低紊动地区,此过程造成了剧烈紊动区泥沙的粗化。     

泰国湾表层沉积物陆源碎屑的粒度特征及其展现的沉积动力环境

海洋碎屑沉积物的粒度特征是海底沉积动力环境的直接体现,是用来研究海洋动力环境变化的重要手段,尤其是陆架海底表层沉积物的粒度分布,对于研究沿岸和水柱底边界层现今海洋动力环境可起到重要作用。该项研究通过调查遍布泰国湾至湄公河口海底表层沉积物陆源碎屑的粒度分布特征,以期获得影响现今特定海域沉积作用的海洋动力环境过程。粒度分析的结果显示,泰国湾表层沉积物的陆源碎屑以细砂-细粉砂为主,分选总体较差,频率分布以正偏为主。其中,细砂-极细砂组分主要分布在曼谷湾和柬埔寨沿岸。湄公河岸外沉积物为细砂,且分选比泰国湾区域的沉积物要好。这些表层沉积物的粒度特征具有良好的环境变化指示作用。湄公河岸外分选较好、近于正态分布的中砂沉积物指示了波浪作用下的沉积环境。曼谷湾和柬埔寨沿岸分选较差的中砂-细砂粗粒沉积物反映了潮汐和波浪的共同作用;泰国湾东西沿岸区域分选中等、呈正偏态的极细砂-中粉砂沉积物体现了潮汐的控制作用;而泰国湾中部分选较差的沉积物则指示了表层洋流作用。研究表明,泰国湾和湄公河岸外表层沉积物陆源碎屑的粒度分布特征可用于区分不同海洋动力因素的控制作用,揭示出泰国湾的沉积动力环境主要受潮汐、波浪和洋流的共同影响,湄公河岸外的沉积动力环境主要受波浪的影响。     

福建近岸浅海沉积物元素丰度及含量变化特征

通过福建省沿海经济带生态地球化学调查,在福建近岸浅海区域共采集479件沉积物样品,分析测试了52种化学元素以及pH值和有机碳等指标。总结了该区域浅海沉积物化学元素的丰度、含量变化及其区域分布,并分不同沉积物类型统计有害元素的污染起始值。福建近岸浅海沉积物与中国浅海沉积物对比,大部分元素的含量高于中国浅海沉积物,含量变化基本遵循“元素的粒度控制律”,除Si元素相反外,Al、Fe、Cu、Co、Ni等绝大多数元素的含量随沉积物粒度变细（砂→粉砂→泥）而升高,有些元素在泥质沉积物中的含量常高出砂质的数倍;其高值、高背景区的区域分布也总是与细粒沉积物有关,而低值、低背景区则明显地与砂质沉积物的分布相关。     

Address of the retiring President of the International Association of Sedimentologists: Differences in size distributions of populations of particles among sands of various origins

This address reminisces and reflects on a subject in which I have been involved for more than twenty years: the effect of depositional processes on various parameters of the size-frequency distribution of sands. Movements of air and water generally separate particles by their sizes; the distribution of sizes relates to (1) the availability of different sizes of particles in a parent material, (2) processes operating where the sediments are deposited, particularly the competency of flow, and (3) concentrations of particles in suspension. Differences in size-frequency distributions among sands correlate with various origins, that is with their terminal depositional environments. Reminiscences in this address express my personal experience, both its up and downs, in advocating the study of this relationship, particularly in applying the method of moments on the basis of the concept that one statistical function expresses the characteristics of the population of particles. This address re-emphasizes some points made in previous studies (Friedman, 1961, 1962b, 1967) on the interrelationship between textural parameters and depositional processes for beach, dune, and river sands and then complements and supplements data which have not been presented before. These new data are grouped on scatter plots for sands of various origins. Finally, this address displays on maps regional trends of process-induced changes in size distributions of populations of particles in sands of four different settings: (1) a beach-dune setting, as exemplified by Padre Island, Texas, on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico; (2) a point-bar setting in the Arkansas River of Oklahoma; (3) a continental shelf-slope setting in the Gulf of Mexico off Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama; and (4) a continental shelf setting of the western Atlantic Ocean off New Jersey. This address concludes with the observation that the distribution of particles in sands will be influenced by the conditions that determine what happens in the depositional environment, hence statistical parameters that define the size-frequency distribution may be related to formative process.     

A comparison of grain‐size analysis methods for sand‐dominated fluvial sediments

Grain‐size distribution is a fundamental tool for interpreting sedimentary units within depositional systems. The techniques assessed in this study are commonly used to determine grain‐size distributions for sand‐dominated sediments. However, the degree of consistency and differences in interpretation when using a combination of grain‐size methods have not yet been assessed systematically for sand‐dominated fluvial sediments. Results obtained from laser diffraction, X‐ray attenuation and scanning electron microscopy grain‐size analysis techniques were compared with those obtained from the traditional sieve/hydrometer method. Scanning electron microscopy was shown to provide an inaccurate quantitative analysis of grain‐size distributions because of difficulties in obtaining representative samples for examination. The X‐ray attenuation method is unsuitable for sand‐dominated sediments because of its upper size range of only 300 μm. The consistently strong correlation between the laser diffraction results and the sieve/hydrometer results shows that these methods are comparable for sand‐dominated fluvial sediments. Provided that sample preparation is consistent, the latter two methods can be used together within a study of such sediments while maintaining a high degree of accuracy. These results indicate that data for sand‐dominated fluvial sediments gained from the long‐established sieve/hydrometer method can be compared with confidence to those obtained by modern studies using laser diffraction techniques.     

粒度分布的端元建模分析及检验:以“吉兰泰—河套”盆地西部DK-12钻孔晚第四纪沉积物为例*

端元建模分析能够从复杂的多峰分布特征的沉积物中提取出具有不同沉积动力过程的端元,但是,由于沉积物的粒度分布还受到沉积环境等多种因素的影响,该方法的有效性及获得的端元组分的地质意义有待其他环境代用指标的进一步检验。以位于“吉兰泰—河套”盆地西部磴口次级隆起区的DK-12钻孔晚第四纪沉积物为例,采用BEMMA算法对该钻孔沉积物的粒度资料进行了端元建模分析,并以黏土矿物组合和前人的孢粉组合数据作为检验指标,结合该地区的区域地质背景,对获得的4个端元进行了综合检验分析,认为获得的沉积物粒度端元具有明确的地质意义,其中EM 1为远源粉尘、EM 2为近源的风成沙、EM 3和EM 4为河流冲积沙。