Study of sedimentological characteristics and Chemical Index of Alteration in the Aeolian sediments

Coastal and inland dune sands in desert environments are compositionally and texturally controlled by physical and chemical processes such as the wind action, marine/fluvial processes, weathering, air temperature and precipitation. The objectives of this research are study of sedimentological characteristics, calculation of CIA in the Aeolian sediments and classification of sand dunes in the Yazd-Ardakan plain. For study of sedimentological characteristics and calculation of the CIA were analyzed 88 and 20 samples, respectively. Major element component measured using XRF. Results showed that, sorting and mean grain size is weak and coarse to medium respectively, which it indicates sources of Aeolian sediments is local. According to classification of Besler (2008) sand dunes classified to strongly saline class. Amount of CIA in the all sample is less than 55, which it indicate there weren’t any weathering in the case study and the maximum of CIA is related to Kalot facies with 50.7.