Identification of Sedimentary Environments through Dynamic Image Analysis of the Particle Morphology of Beach Sediments on the East and West Coasts of Hainan Island in South China

Abstract

Particle morphology is an important feature of sediments that reflects their transport history and depositional environment. In this study, we used dynamic image analysis (DIA) to measure the size and shape of beach sediments on the east and west coasts of Hainan Island in South China Sea. DIA is a fast and accurate method that can capture and analyze a large number of sediment particles in real-time. We extracted morphological descriptors of each particle, such as equivalent diameter, sphericity, aspect ratio and symmetry, and their distributions based on volume and number. We performed multivariate analysis on the particle morphological data, including alpha diversity, statistical analysis and fingerprint techniques. We found that the Shannon index, calculated by the number distribution of sediment particle morphology, can effectively discriminate between the two sites, reflecting different sediment sources, transport processes and depositional conditions. We also established a composite fingerprint based on seven morphological parameters and diversity indices, which can accurately distinguish between aeolian and hydraulic sedimentary environments. Our study demonstrates the potential application of DIA in identifying sedimentary environments and establishing sediment fingerprints. This can help us understand the sediment transport processes and depositional mechanisms in coastal areas.