Analysis of loess sediment texture in Golestan province according to the microstructure parameters

Subject Areas : Mineralogy

Somayeh  Ghandhari ¹ (Department of Earth Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.)
Arash  Amini ² (Department of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, Golestan University, Gorgan, Iran)
Ali  Solgi ³ (Department of Earth Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.)
Hamed  Rezaei ⁴ (Department of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, Golestan University, Gorgan, Iran)

Received: 2018-07-14 Accepted : 2019-04-29 Published : 2019-10-01

Keywords: Microstructure Analysis, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Fabric, Loess, Particle Shape,

Abstract :

This study was performed to recognize the loess texture in Golestan Province, Iran using the microstructure analysis according to the electron microscopic images. Loess microstructure study allows for investigating the characteristics of particle shape, fabric, cement and porosity in microscopic images. In recent years, computer analysis has been replaced with manual calculation due to its high speed, precision and ease of use. Since the scanning electron microscope (SEM) digital image analysis method can quantitatively determine the loess microstructure and identify the microstructure changes, it was used to analyze the loess texture. The obtained results showed that the loess microstructure changed from north and northeast to south and southwest of Golestan Province. According to microstructural and sedimentology parameters, Golestan Province loess can be divided into 4 zones. The results also showed that microstructural study of loess sediments in Golestan Province could be a useful tool for loess zoning and separating loess sediments from loess-like deposits.

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