?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fmiis.maths.ox.ac.uk%2Fmiis%2F277%2F&rft.title=Provenance+of+sedimentary+rocks&rft.creator=Pritchard%2C+Geoffrey&rft.creator=Moloney%2C+Paul&rft.creator=Russell%2C+Ken&rft.creator=Whiten%2C+Bill&rft.subject=Materials&rft.description=Understanding+the+origins%2C+or+provenance%2C+of+a+sedimentary+deposit+is+an+important+aspect+of+geology.+Sedimentary+rocks+are+derived+from+the+erosion+of+other+rocks+and+thus+provide+important+records+of+the+geological+environment+at+the+time+they+were+deposited.+Some+minerals+found+in+sedimentary+rocks%2C+such+as+zircon+particles%2C+can+be+dated+using+uranium-lead+techniques+to+trace+the+age+of+their+parent+rock+thus+providing+useful+information+about+the+geological+environment.%0D%0A%0D%0AStatistical+and+mathematical+analyses+that+can+assist+in+the+analysis+of+the+distribution+of+ages+of+the+zircon+crystals+are+examined.+Methods+of+defining+a+difference+between+the+distributions+of+ages+found+in+rock+samples+are+proposed%2C+and+demonstrated+in+the+division+of+multiple+rock+samples+into+clusters+of+similar+types.%0D%0A%0D%0AA+test+for+the+existence+of+a+cluster+is+developed%2C+and+statistics+for+comparing+different+rock+samples+examined.+Estimating+an+accurate+age+for+the+sedimentary+deposit+itself+proves+to+be+difficult+unless+prior+distributions+providing+significant+extra+information+are+available.&rft.date=2009&rft.type=Study+Group+Report&rft.type=NonPeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.language=en&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fmiis.maths.ox.ac.uk%2Fmiis%2F277%2F1%2Fgeomisg2009.pdf&rft.identifier=++Pritchard%2C+Geoffrey+and+Moloney%2C+Paul+and+Russell%2C+Ken+and+Whiten%2C+Bill++(2009)+Provenance+of+sedimentary+rocks.++%5BStudy+Group+Report%5D+++++