Stochastic analysis of bed-thickness distribution of sediments

Abstract

On formation of a bed and distribution of bed thickness, A. N. Kolmogorov presented a mathematical explanation that if repetitive alternations of material accumulation and erosion form a sequence of beds, the resultant bed-thickness distribution curve takes a shape truncated by the ordinate at zero thickness. In this truncated distribution curve, its continuation and extension from positive to negative thickness represents the distribution of beds with negative thickness, that is, the depth of erosion. When a distribution curve, including both positive and negative parts, is expressed by a function f(x),the ratio $\int_0^\infty {f(x)dx to} \int_{ - \infty }^\infty {f(x)dx}$,called Kolmogorov's coefficient and designated as p,is a parameter representing the degree of accumulation in the depositional environment. On the assumption that f(x)is described by the Gaussian distribution function, the coefficient pfor Permian and Pliocene sequences in central Japan was calculated. The coefficients also were obtained from published data for different types of sediments from other areas. It was determined that they are more or less different depending on their depositional environments. The calculated results are summarized as follows:

$$\begin{gathered} p = 0.80 - 1.0for{\text{ }}alluvial{\text{ }}or{\text{ }}fluvial{\text{ }}deposits \hfill \\ p = 0.65 - 0.95for{\text{ }}nearshore{\text{ }}sediments \hfill \\ p = 0.55 - 0.95for{\text{ }}geosynclinal{\text{ }}sediments \hfill \\ p = 0.90 - 1.0for{\text{ }}varves \hfill \\ \end{gathered} $$

In addition, a ratio $q = \int_0^\infty {xf(x)dx/} \int_{ - \infty }^\infty {|x|f(x)dx}$,called Kolmogorov's ratio in this paper, is introduced for estimating a degree of total thickness actually observed in the field relative to total thickness once present in a basin. The calculated results of Kolmogorov's ratio are as follows:

$$\begin{gathered} q = 0.88 - 1.0for{\text{ }}alluvial{\text{ }}or{\text{ }}fluvial{\text{ }}deposits \hfill \\ q = 0.68 - 0.98for{\text{ }}nearshore{\text{ }}sediments \hfill \\ q = 0.55 - 0.96for{\text{ }}geosynclinal{\text{ }}sediments \hfill \\ q = 0.92 - 1.0for{\text{ }}varves \hfill \\ \end{gathered} $$

The sedimentological significance of these values is discussed.