Texture as characteristic of clastic deposition

The texture of clastic sediments reflects the process of deposition of these sediments. Sample point patterns representing the variations in a deposit of two parameters (C, an approximation of the maximum grain size, and M, the median) are characteristic of the depositional agent. The lutite content of the samples is shown on the patterns by percentage lines. These CM patterns are generally sharply defined and vary considerably with the type of depositional agent. The CM patterns are a geologic tool which can be used to analyze the deposition of recent sediments and to reconstruct the conditions of deposition of ancient sediments. They can particularly help sedimentation studies aiming at finding stratigraphic traps by definition of permeability trends.