Numerical method of nonlinear regression was introduced to characterize grain-size distribution more effectively than using the traditional textural parameters. This technique proved critical particularly to multimodal size distributions, as exemplifi...
Numerical method of nonlinear regression was introduced to characterize grain-size distribution more effectively than using the traditional textural parameters. This technique proved critical particularly to multimodal size distributions, as exemplified by samples from Cheju strait continental shelf. Grain-size analysis of samples collected from the Cheju Strait continental shelf reveals that 86% of the grain-size distributions are multimodal. As multimodal grain-size distribution deviates from the statistical (log) normal distribution, the grain-size parameters traditionally used in sediment studies do not describe the distribution efficiently. Therefore, the use of grain-size curves into elementary normal component curves was used. Means and standard deviations of 387 decomposed normal components were decided by a decomposition method (nonlinear least square regression) from 167 size curves of the Cheju Strait sediments. The mean values of decomposed normal components show peaks at 1-3 phi and 8-9 phi size classes. The plot of mean values of the coarse fraction normal components on the map shows a characteristic and complex areal distribution. On the basis of the areal distribution of the mean values of the components and that of isopach of total Plenipotence sediment, the areal distribution of layers composing a transgressive sand of Late Plenipotence age were revealed.