| Summary: | This study illustrates a specialised system that is able to process two-dimensional images of sand grains obtained by means of a videocamera mounted on a microscope. By using image processing techniques, it is possible to extract the geometric parameters and calculate the morphometric indexes of a large number of samples in an automatic way. A quantitative evaluation of such features for a certain number of clasts enables objective comparisons among sediments with different origin and “sedimentary history”. The system has already been planned and tested within the framework of PNRA (Programma Nazionale di Ricerche in Antartide) by the Department of Biophysical and Electronic Engineering (University of Genoa) in co-operation with the Department of Geological, Environmental and Marine Sciences (University of Trieste), (Venturi et al., 1994; Protopsalti, 1997). The aim of the work is to check whether the morphometric analysis can confirm the genetic interpretations available from sedimentological, stratigraphic and mineralogical data of sampled sedimentary bodies. This investigation considers the 500-210 µm sand fraction of sedimentary deposits sampled at the bottom of the Ross Sea. Approximately 3800 quartz grains have been analysed from 19 levels of 3 different cores: ANTA91-30 and ANTA91-29 collected in the Drygalski Basin and ANTA91-19 collected in the Joides Basin.
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