Multifractal Characteristics of Grain Size Distributions in Braided Delta-Front: A Case of Paleogene Enping Formation in Huilu Low Uplift, Pearl River Mouth Basin, South China Sea

Multifractal analysis has been used in the exploration of soil grain size distributions (GSDs) in environmental and agricultural research. However, multifractal studies regarding the GSDs of sediments in braided delta-front are currently scarce. Open-source software designed for the realization of t...

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Main Authors: Rui Yuan, Zijin Yan, Rui Zhu, Chao Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Fractal and Fractional
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3110/9/4/216
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author Rui Yuan
Zijin Yan
Rui Zhu
Chao Wang
author_facet Rui Yuan
Zijin Yan
Rui Zhu
Chao Wang
author_sort Rui Yuan
collection DOAJ
description Multifractal analysis has been used in the exploration of soil grain size distributions (GSDs) in environmental and agricultural research. However, multifractal studies regarding the GSDs of sediments in braided delta-front are currently scarce. Open-source software designed for the realization of this technique has not yet been programmed. In this paper, the multifractal parameters of 61 GSDs from braided delta-front in the Paleogene Enping Formation in Huilu Low Uplift, Pearl River Mouth basin, are calculated and compared with traditional parameters. Multifractal generalized dimension spectrum curves are sigmoidal and decrease monotonically. Multifractal singularity spectrum curves are asymmetric, convex, and right-hook unimodal. The entropy dimension and singularity spectrum width ranges of silt-mudstones and gravelly sandstones are wider than those of fine and medium-coarse sandstones. The symmetry degree scopes from different lithologies are concentrated in distinguishing intervals. With the increase of grain sizes, the symmetry degree decreases overall. Both the symmetry degree and mean of GSDs are effective to distinguish the different lithologies from various depositional environments. A flexible and easy-to-use MATLAB (2021b)<sup>®</sup> GUI (graphic user interface) package, MfGSD (Multifractal of GSD, V1.0), is provided to perform multifractal analysis on sediment GSDs. After raw GSDs imported into MfGSD, multifractal parameters are batch calculated and graphed in the interface. Then, all multifractal parameters can be exported to an Excel file, including entropy dimension, singularity spectrum, correlation dimension, symmetry degree of multifractal spectrum, etc. MfGSD is effective, and the multifractal parameters outputted from MfGSD are helpful to distinguish depositional environments of GSDs. MfGSD is open-source software that can be used to explore GSDs from various kinds of depositional environments, including water or wind deposits.
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spelling doaj-art-513f84c45e894706b128f8fdbd59aa662025-08-20T02:18:11ZengMDPI AGFractal and Fractional2504-31102025-03-019421610.3390/fractalfract9040216Multifractal Characteristics of Grain Size Distributions in Braided Delta-Front: A Case of Paleogene Enping Formation in Huilu Low Uplift, Pearl River Mouth Basin, South China SeaRui Yuan0Zijin Yan1Rui Zhu2Chao Wang3School of Geophysics and Petroleum Resources, Yangtze University, Wuhan 430100, ChinaSchool of Geophysics and Petroleum Resources, Yangtze University, Wuhan 430100, ChinaSchool of Geosciences, Yangtze University, Wuhan 430100, ChinaSchool of Mathematics and Computer, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, ChinaMultifractal analysis has been used in the exploration of soil grain size distributions (GSDs) in environmental and agricultural research. However, multifractal studies regarding the GSDs of sediments in braided delta-front are currently scarce. Open-source software designed for the realization of this technique has not yet been programmed. In this paper, the multifractal parameters of 61 GSDs from braided delta-front in the Paleogene Enping Formation in Huilu Low Uplift, Pearl River Mouth basin, are calculated and compared with traditional parameters. Multifractal generalized dimension spectrum curves are sigmoidal and decrease monotonically. Multifractal singularity spectrum curves are asymmetric, convex, and right-hook unimodal. The entropy dimension and singularity spectrum width ranges of silt-mudstones and gravelly sandstones are wider than those of fine and medium-coarse sandstones. The symmetry degree scopes from different lithologies are concentrated in distinguishing intervals. With the increase of grain sizes, the symmetry degree decreases overall. Both the symmetry degree and mean of GSDs are effective to distinguish the different lithologies from various depositional environments. A flexible and easy-to-use MATLAB (2021b)<sup>®</sup> GUI (graphic user interface) package, MfGSD (Multifractal of GSD, V1.0), is provided to perform multifractal analysis on sediment GSDs. After raw GSDs imported into MfGSD, multifractal parameters are batch calculated and graphed in the interface. Then, all multifractal parameters can be exported to an Excel file, including entropy dimension, singularity spectrum, correlation dimension, symmetry degree of multifractal spectrum, etc. MfGSD is effective, and the multifractal parameters outputted from MfGSD are helpful to distinguish depositional environments of GSDs. MfGSD is open-source software that can be used to explore GSDs from various kinds of depositional environments, including water or wind deposits.https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3110/9/4/216grain size distribution (GSD)multifractalentropy dimensionwidth of multifractal singularity spectrumsymmetry degree of multifractal spectrumMfGSD
spellingShingle Rui Yuan
Zijin Yan
Rui Zhu
Chao Wang
Multifractal Characteristics of Grain Size Distributions in Braided Delta-Front: A Case of Paleogene Enping Formation in Huilu Low Uplift, Pearl River Mouth Basin, South China Sea
Fractal and Fractional
grain size distribution (GSD)
multifractal
entropy dimension
width of multifractal singularity spectrum
symmetry degree of multifractal spectrum
MfGSD
title Multifractal Characteristics of Grain Size Distributions in Braided Delta-Front: A Case of Paleogene Enping Formation in Huilu Low Uplift, Pearl River Mouth Basin, South China Sea
title_full Multifractal Characteristics of Grain Size Distributions in Braided Delta-Front: A Case of Paleogene Enping Formation in Huilu Low Uplift, Pearl River Mouth Basin, South China Sea
title_fullStr Multifractal Characteristics of Grain Size Distributions in Braided Delta-Front: A Case of Paleogene Enping Formation in Huilu Low Uplift, Pearl River Mouth Basin, South China Sea
title_full_unstemmed Multifractal Characteristics of Grain Size Distributions in Braided Delta-Front: A Case of Paleogene Enping Formation in Huilu Low Uplift, Pearl River Mouth Basin, South China Sea
title_short Multifractal Characteristics of Grain Size Distributions in Braided Delta-Front: A Case of Paleogene Enping Formation in Huilu Low Uplift, Pearl River Mouth Basin, South China Sea
title_sort multifractal characteristics of grain size distributions in braided delta front a case of paleogene enping formation in huilu low uplift pearl river mouth basin south china sea
topic grain size distribution (GSD)
multifractal
entropy dimension
width of multifractal singularity spectrum
symmetry degree of multifractal spectrum
MfGSD
url https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3110/9/4/216
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