There are myriad ways that particle size data are used daily by the earth science and oceanographic community. The data may be used to predict where flooding will occur on the banks of rivers, or how oil-contaminated sediment will move along a beach. It has been used to understand how toxic chemicals dumped into estuaries and fjords are deposited and trapped (Syvitski et al., 1987). Particle size data provide important clues to the deposition of precious heavy minerals, such as gold and titanium (ilmenite, rutile), along our rivers and beaches (Slingerland & Smith, 1986), and are commonly used in the production of geological maps and stratigraphic sections (Pickering et al., 1990). Particle size information has been used to define benthic habitats of bottom dwellers (Pearson & Rosenberg, 1978), and the positioning of anchorages for large ships. It can also play an important role in submarine warfare.

Within the many applications for particle size data, we highlight five central themes: stratigraphy, glacial geology, geochemistry, oceanography, and geotechnical studies. Chapter 20 applies the methodology of suite statistics (defined in Chapter 16) to the interpretation of coastal stratigraphy and sea-level fluctuations, in both modern and ancient geological settings. The method is used to identify both the dominant and previous transport agency or sedimentary environment, as well as evidence for small changes in sea level.

Chapter 21 uses size sequence data to understand the glacial and paraglacial transport and partitioning of sediment.