D. Merriam – författare

Although statistics have been used by geologists for many years, only recently has the subject received the attention needed and deserved. Geologists and other earth scientists have a use for summary statistics of large data bases, knowledge of frequency distributions, understanding of sampling designs and problems, and ap­ plication of stochastic models, but in general they are unaware of the many aspects of help available through the statistician. It seemed warranted at this time to get the two disciplines together and to find a common meeting ground for further collaboration. Thus the subject of the 8th Colloquium was proposed as GEOSTATISTICS. Statisticians with interests in ap­ plications in the earth sciences were asked to partici­ pate with earth scientists interested in applying statistics to problems. This volume records the pro­ ceedings of the meeting. The Kansas Geological Survey, the International Association for Mathematical Geology and the University Extension were hosts to 120 participants on campus at The University of Kansas during 7-9 June 1970. The Colloquium was the 8th in a series on "Computer Applica­ ~ions in the Earth Sciences." Previous subjects were classification, trend analysis, time-series analysis, simulation, sampling, computer applications, and optical­ data processing. The stated purpose of the meeting was to explore some assumptions, limitations, and applica­ tions for statistical geology and geostatistics.

Although statistics have been used by geologists for many years, only recently has the subject received the attention needed and deserved. Geologists and other earth scientists have a use for summary statistics of large data bases, knowledge of frequency distributions, understanding of sampling designs and problems, and ap­ plication of stochastic models, but in general they are unaware of the many aspects of help available through the statistician. It seemed warranted at this time to get the two disciplines together and to find a common meeting ground for further collaboration. Thus the subject of the 8th Colloquium was proposed as GEOSTATISTICS. Statisticians with interests in ap­ plications in the earth sciences were asked to partici­ pate with earth scientists interested in applying statistics to problems. This volume records the pro­ ceedings of the meeting. The Kansas Geological Survey, the International Association for Mathematical Geology and the University Extension were hosts to 120 participants on campus at The University of Kansas during 7-9 June 1970. The Colloquium was the 8th in a series on "Computer Applica­ ~ions in the Earth Sciences." Previous subjects were classification, trend analysis, time-series analysis, simulation, sampling, computer applications, and optical­ data processing. The stated purpose of the meeting was to explore some assumptions, limitations, and applica­ tions for statistical geology and geostatistics.

This volume reports the results of a symposium held in Heidelberg during the International Sedimentological Congress in late August and early September, 1971. The symposium, co­ sponsored by the International Association for Mathematical Geology, entertained the subject, "Mathematical Models of Sedimentary Processes. " The subject is most appropriate because sedimentologists have long been concerned with processes and mechanisms of sedi­ ment dispersal. Much effort has gone into building physical models such as flumes, stream tables, wave tanks, wind tunnels, etc. , to help understand sedimentological processes. Quantita­ tive methods (especially statistics) have been utilized in summarizing these data. It is timely then with the recent developments of simulation and application of computer tech­ niques that a symposium be addressed to the use of "Mathematical Models of Sedimentary Processes" involving some of these new statistically oriented methods and available data bases. Experimentation in geology has been hampered by a scale factor. That is, it is difficult to find suitab. 1e materials for physical models; it is difficult to find a mechanical de­ vice which properly represents the forces involved; it is almost impossible to allow adequately for geologic time. Sta­ tistically valid models are difficult to obtain with physical models because of material replicate problems. Most problems including the time factor, however, can be eliminated with mathematical models. Mathematical models can be infinitely varied in any number of combinations easily and quickly with the computer.