Surface Features on Quartz Sand and Silt Grains: Leg 39 Deep Sea Drilling Project

Quartz grain assessment for reconstructing the coastal palaeoenvironment

“…Collisions of grains in underwater environments produce vshaped percussion cracks, irregular impact pits, large breaks, straight grooves, conchoidal fractures, steps and sinuous grooves (Vos et al, 2014;Strand et al, 2003;Rajganapathi et al, 2013;Kleesment, 2009;Madhavaraju et al, 2009Madhavaraju et al, , 2006Madhavaraju et al, , 2004Mahaney, 2002;Madhavaraju and Ramasamy, 1999;Bull and Culver, 1979;Krinsley and McCoy, 1977a). According to Vos et al (2014) and Mahaney (2002), v-shaped marks are triangular depressions produced primarily and almost exclusively in highenergy environments, such as fluvial, glacial and fluvial-coastal zones.…”

Significance and origin of surface textures on broken sand grains in deep‐sea sediments

“…A few quartz grains can furnish important information even though their number with respect to the total grain population may be statistically insignificant. Breakage and impact of quartz grains with other sand particles form the mechanical features seen on grain surfaces ; features that have resulted from chemical activity can also be discerned through SEM, and criteria for distinguishing such mechanical and chemical features and their implications have been well established (Krinsley & Doornkamp, 1973 ; Whalley & Krinsley, 1974;Krinsley, Friend & Klimentidis, 1976).…”