Estimation of Channel Sinuosity from Paleocurrent Data: A Method Using Fractal Geometry: Discussion

The use of fractals to solve geological problems is an exciting new development in the Earth Sciences, and Ghosh (2000) is to be congratulated for his application of fractal geometry to estimate channel sinuosities from paleocurrent data. In spite of the skepticism voiced by Miall (1996) as to the validity of methods based on paleocurrent dispersal patterns, any progress in this field is to be welcomed. In fact, although the technique proposed by Ghosh (2000) represents an entirely new angle to solving the problem, the results closely approximate those produced by the method of Le Roux (1992) as modified in 1994 (Fig. 1). Surely, the good correlation between two independent techniques that are based purely on theoretical principles, must indicate that there is some merit in the paleocurrent approach. Figure 1 Comparison of sinuosity values for different consistency ratios using the methods of Le Roux (1994) and Ghosh (2000). Ghosh used a theoretical model considering the shape of a single meander, but the method …