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Multifractal analysis of particle size distributions in soil

Publication ,  Journal Article
Grout, H; Tarquis, AM; Wiesner, MR
Published in: Environmental Science and Technology
May 1, 1998

Power-law scaling of particle size distributions in air, water, and soil have been frequently reported and are sometimes interpreted in the context of a fractal dimension to yield estimates of the geometrical characteristics of particles and aggregates such as their density or porosity. However, the underlying process leading to a measure of particle size distribution suggests that, in general, particle size distributions in natural systems should not conform to a simple power law. Rather, measures on a fractal object such as a particle aggregate give rise to a very different type of scaling known as multifractal. In this paper, data on soil grain size distributions obtained from soil horizons composed predominantly of clay and silt are analyzed to illustrate the inappropriateness of a simple power law interpretation in this case and to demonstrate the theoretically anticipated multifractal behavior.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Environmental Science and Technology

DOI

ISSN

0013-936X

Publication Date

May 1, 1998

Volume

32

Issue

9

Start / End Page

1176 / 1182

Related Subject Headings

  • Environmental Sciences
 

Citation

APA
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ICMJE
MLA
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Grout, H., Tarquis, A. M., & Wiesner, M. R. (1998). Multifractal analysis of particle size distributions in soil. Environmental Science and Technology, 32(9), 1176–1182. https://doi.org/10.1021/es9704343
Grout, H., A. M. Tarquis, and M. R. Wiesner. “Multifractal analysis of particle size distributions in soil.” Environmental Science and Technology 32, no. 9 (May 1, 1998): 1176–82. https://doi.org/10.1021/es9704343.
Grout H, Tarquis AM, Wiesner MR. Multifractal analysis of particle size distributions in soil. Environmental Science and Technology. 1998 May 1;32(9):1176–82.
Grout, H., et al. “Multifractal analysis of particle size distributions in soil.” Environmental Science and Technology, vol. 32, no. 9, May 1998, pp. 1176–82. Scopus, doi:10.1021/es9704343.
Grout H, Tarquis AM, Wiesner MR. Multifractal analysis of particle size distributions in soil. Environmental Science and Technology. 1998 May 1;32(9):1176–1182.
Journal cover image

Published In

Environmental Science and Technology

DOI

ISSN

0013-936X

Publication Date

May 1, 1998

Volume

32

Issue

9

Start / End Page

1176 / 1182

Related Subject Headings

  • Environmental Sciences