sgr ms thesis - University of Maine

of size distributions and surface patterns of Shatter Zone clasts, so fractal theory
will now be applied to these breccia characteristics.
5.3. Quantitative Methods of Breccia Classification
5.3.1. Clast Size Distribution
Particle size distribution is a commonly applied method for determining
brecciation mechanisms from observed clast characteristics (e.g. Harris, 1966;
Harris, 1968; Hartmann, 1969; Schoutens, 1979; Sammis et al., 1986; Turcotte,
1986; Sammis & Biegel, 1987; Englman et al., 1988; Marone and Scholz, 1989;
Blenkinsop, 1991; Shimamoto and Nagahama, 1992; Nagahama and Yoshii,
1993; McCaffrey & Johnston, 1996; Jebrak, 1997; Tsutsumi, 1999; Perfect, 1997;
Zhang, 1999; Higgins, 2000; Blott & Pye, 2001; Wilson et al., 2001; Elek and
Jaramaz, 2002; Saotome et al., 2002; Clark & James, 2003; Spieler et al., 2003;
Barnett, 2004; Zi-Long et al., 2006; Farris & Paterson, 2007; Bjork et al., 2009).
The term “clast size distribution” (CSD) is preferred because of its relevance to
breccias. Brittle materials have the general tendency to fracture in a self-similar
pattern in which clast frequency increases exponentially with a decrease in clast
size, and it has been proven possible to relate the size distribution of clasts to the
mechanism of brecciation (Turcotte, 1986; Jebrak, 1997; Perfect, 1997). The
relationship between clast size and cumulate frequency is defined by the power
law equation (similar to equation 5.2)
(5.3)
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