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Re-interpreting ‘segmented’ grain-size curves

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 May 2009

C. Christiansen ,
P. Blæsild  and
K. Dalsgaard
C. Christiansen
Affiliation:
Geological Institute, University of Aarhus, DK.-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
P. Blæsild
Affiliation:
Institute of Mathematics, University of Aarhus, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
K. Dalsgaard
Affiliation:
Geological Institute, University of Aarhus, DK.-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
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Abstract

Cumulative curves of grain-size against frequency often show segmented shapes. These shapes have been interpreted as resulting from a combination of normally distributed populations each of which should reflect a mode of transport. The present study deals with samples in motion as bedload, pure saltation load and suspended load. All of these exhibited segmented shapes on cumulative curves. An explanation of this is that the populations are better described as log-hyperbolic distributions rather than as a mixture of log-normal distributions. The log-hyperbolic distribution when plotted on probability paper has a shape which can be misinterpreted as consisting of segments.

Type
Articles
Information
Geological Magazine , Volume 121 , Issue 1 , January 1984 , pp. 47 - 51
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1984

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