Re-interpreting ‘segmented’ grain-size curves

Abstract

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.