Size and Shape Analysis of Sedimentary Grains by Automated Dynamic Image Analysis

Tysmans, Daisy; Claeys, Philippe; Deriemaeker, Luc; Maes, Dominique; Finsy, Robert; Molle, Marc Van

doi:10.1002/ppsc.200500965

Cited by 20 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 11 publications

(14 reference statements)

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“…The aspect ratio ranges from 0 to 1, corresponding to a grain shape ranging from extremely flat or elongated to perfectly symmetrical (Li et al, 2015;Shang et al, 2017). In this study, the ARs of particles with a mean Feret's diameter between 15.6 and 62.5 μm were selected for analyses, because the shape of particles < 15.6 μm are not accurately measured by the Qicpic camera (2 μm × 2 μm pixel size; Shang et al, 2017), and because of the highly variable mean ARs in the size range > 62.5 μm, probably caused by the limited number of measured grains (Tysmans et al, 2006;Shang et al, 2017). In addition, we calculated the weighted average aspect ratio (WAAR) from 15.6 to 31.3 μm vs. WAAR from 31.3 to 62.5 μm, based on the corresponding volume frequency for the different size class.…”

Section: Grain-shape Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fluvial terrace formation and its impacts on early human settlement in the Hanzhong basin, Qinling Mountains, central China

Yang

Balen

Prins

et al. 2019

Global and Planetary Change

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The Qinling Mountains (QLM) form the climatic boundary between the temperate north and subtropical south of China. Many important Paleolithic archaeological sites located on fluvial terraces in this area have been reported in recent decades. Abundant artifacts have been excavated in silt layers overlying fluvial gravels and coarse sands. These silt layers have thus far been interpreted as aeolian deposits. However, in principle they could also represent (in part) fluvial (floodplain) deposits, especially near the base of fine-grained sequences. Reconstruction of fluvial terrace formation is crucial for the correct interpretation of the environment of hominin occupation. In this paper, two sediment sequences from two Paleolithic sites, located on different terrace levels of the Hanjiang River in the Hanzhong basin, are studied mainly using grain-size and grain-shape analyses. In addition, grain-size distributions have been unraveled by applying end-member modelling to distinguish different sedimentary environments. The results show that three different units can be discriminated in each section. The lower unit, consisting of gravelly sand mixed with fine silt, is interpreted as shallow-channel-fill sediment deposited during the start of the transition from a channel to a floodplain environment. The middle unit comprises a fine-grained, gradually fining-upward sequence, representative a floodplain environment. At its base, it reflects a high-energy floodplain situation; at its top, the sequence is interpreted as a low-energy floodplain environment with aeolian input (settling in static water). The third, uppermost unit consists of aeolian loess interbedded with paleosol(s) and sediments that are interpreted as the results of episodic surface runoff. The gradual transition between the 3 units and the gradual fining upward trend of the middle unit indicates that there is no considerable age gap (no hiatus) between the fluvialand aeolian sedimentary environments. Stone artifacts have been found in all 3 units, with difference abundance, indicating that both the aeolian and floodplain depositional environments provided favorable living conditions. For the floodplain environment, the resources of water and raw materials (fluvial gravels) for tool making may have offered fundamental resources for hominin settlement.

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Section: Grain-shape Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fluvial terrace formation and its impacts on early human settlement in the Hanzhong basin, Qinling Mountains, central China

Yang

Balen

Prins

et al. 2019

Global and Planetary Change

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“…The same DIA Qicpic technique has already been employed for measuring the grain size and shape of pharmaceutical materials (Yu and Hancock, 2008;Nalluri et al, 2010;Yu et al, 2011). However, only a few studies have so far exploited DIA methods in studying sedimentary characteristics, particularly for silt-sized particles (Tysmans et al, 2006(Tysmans et al, , 2009Li et al, 2015). Tysmans et al (2009) applied automated dynamic image analysis (ADIA) (RapidVue Particle Analyzer, Beckman Coulter Company) to characterize the particle size and shape of Belgian loess, which is composed of N 60% silt particles (2-63 μm).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Tysmans et al (2006) applied DIA using different equipment (RapidVue, Average numbers, with error bars, for particles of size fractions: (a) N32 μm; (b) N63 μm;…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Aeolian silt transport processes as fingerprinted by dynamic image analysis of the grain size and shape characteristics of Chinese loess and Red Clay deposits

Shang

Kaakinen

Beets

et al. 2018

Sedimentary Geology

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This study applied dynamic image analysis (DIA; Sympatec Qicpic) to characterize the grain size and shape of Chinese aeolian sediments in order to fingerprint their transportation processes. This is the first time this technique has been applied to late Neogene and Quaternary silt particles (2-63 μm) from the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP). We selected four well-studied Quaternary loess-palaeosol sequences along a north-south transect across the CLP and compared their grain size distribution obtained by DIA with that yielded by laser diffraction particle size analysis (LD; Fritsch Analysette 22 and Sympatec HELOS KR). This comparison demonstrated that DIA is successfully able to differentiate loess units from palaeosols, and to characterize clearly spatiotemporal variations in the grain size records of loess-palaeosol sequences formed during the last two glacial and interglacial periods. This is consistent with grain size results obtained using LD. DIA is also able to characterize spatial variations in the more fine-grained aeolian Red Clay deposits underlying the Quaternary loess, and allows the quantification of the fluvial contribution to Red Clay sequences. DIA of the characteristics of grain shapes in loess-palaeosol sequences and Red Clay deposits revealed a systematic pattern, whereby the aspect ratio decreased with increasing grain size, indicating that systematic shape sorting occurred during the aeolian transportation of these dust particles. It could be inferred from our study that particles in a certain grain size range correspond to a specific aspect ratio range, and may in turn be aerodynamically distinguishable from each other and further correlated with the wind velocity/strength. Also evident from analysis of our DIA data was a subtle but systematic downwind decrease in the aspect ratio of the particles in the loess units. This observation suggests that elongated and/or flat particles (with a low aspect ratio) were transported further downwind than more symmetrically shaped particles (with a high aspect ratio). This study indicates that DIA of grain size and shape characteristics can be an additional powerful tool for identifying grain size and shape sorting trends, determining the dominant mode of transport, and reconstructing transport pathways of silt-sized aeolian sediments.

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“…The REF1 and SEF values were compared with those of the circularity index, which is commonly used as a grain shape parameter (Cox, ; Hentschel & Page, ; Tysmans et al ., ). Variations in boxplots of circularity (Fig.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 97%

The evaluation of macroscopic and microscopic textures of sand grains using elliptic Fourier and principal component analysis: Implications for the discrimination of sedimentary environments

2015

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A method that integrates elliptic Fourier and principal component analysis is a new development in the analysis of the shapes of sand grains. However, conventional elliptic Fourier and principal component analysis based on the variance-covariance matrix of the elliptic Fourier results can determine only the form of sand grains, and fails to quantify fine-scale boundary smoothness of grains. In this study, sand grains from glacial, fluvial, foreshore and aeolian environments were analysed using both elliptic Fourier and principal component analysis and an extension of elliptic Fourier and principal component analysis based on the correlation matrix to extract information on grain form (macroscopic) and grain boundary smoothness (microscopic) separately. Conventional elliptic Fourier and principal component analysis based on the variance-covariance matrix produces macroscopic particle shape descriptors, such as the elongation index and bump indices. These indices indicate that sand grains exposed to subaqueous transportation (fluvial and foreshore) have forms that are more elongated than those exposed to subaerial transportation (aeolian dunes). However, elliptic Fourier and principal component analysis based on the correlation matrix is, in addition, able to extract microscopic particle features, which can be interpreted in terms of a boundary smoothness index. The boundary smoothness index indicates that the surfaces of glacial grains are the most rugged, whereas the surfaces of aeolian grains are the smoothest. On bivariate plots of the boundary smoothness and elongation indices, samples from fluvial, foreshore, aeolian and glacial environments cluster in discrete regions. In addition, the analysis reveals that glacial grains are exposed to different morphological maturation pathways than those from fluvial, foreshore and aeolian environments.

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Size and Shape Analysis of Sedimentary Grains by Automated Dynamic Image Analysis

Cited by 20 publications

References 11 publications

Fluvial terrace formation and its impacts on early human settlement in the Hanzhong basin, Qinling Mountains, central China

Fluvial terrace formation and its impacts on early human settlement in the Hanzhong basin, Qinling Mountains, central China

Aeolian silt transport processes as fingerprinted by dynamic image analysis of the grain size and shape characteristics of Chinese loess and Red Clay deposits

The evaluation of macroscopic and microscopic textures of sand grains using elliptic Fourier and principal component analysis: Implications for the discrimination of sedimentary environments

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