Fractal analysis in granitoid petrology: a means of quantifying irregular grain morphologies

Abstract

Digitised outlines of a serially sectioned K-feldspar grain from a Cordilleran granitoid have been analysed for their fractal dimension. Each grain section has fractal dimension (D) >1, ranging from 1.21-1.30. Scatter within the data sets have been used to define separate (pseudo)fractal elements that further characterise each grain outline. The development of fractal geometries within a particular granitoid can be broadly related to crystallisation within Ab-An-Or-Qz space. The non-integer values that describe grain shape may be useful in estimating the total grain (porosity) volume within the rock. -from Authors