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Weathering
Kinds of Weathering Terms modified by Weathering Selected AbstractsDIFFERENTIAL ROCK WEATHERING IN THE ,VALLEY OF THE BOULDERS', KÄRKEVAGGE, SWEDISH LAPLANDGEOGRAFISKA ANNALER SERIES A: PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Issue 3 2008ROBERT G. DARMODY ABSTRACT. Kärkevagge is an alpine valley in the low arctic of Swedish Lapland. It is named after, and famous for, its large deposit of immense (c. 10,15 m) boulders that almost fill the lower valley. Above the boulder deposit, on the flanks of the valley, are more recent and generally much smaller (c. 1,3 m) individual boulders that have fallen from the valley-wall cliff face, presumably from post-glacial valley-side unloading. Some of these smaller boulders are seemingly fresh and unweathered while others have been reduced to no more than mounds in the tundra. These boulders must be younger than the larger, lower giant boulder deposit, but are not particularly recent rockfalls as they are partially buried in colluvium. Comparisons of mineralogy and chemistry indicate that the possibility exists that the incompetent, ,rotten' rocks, if not considerably older than their competent neighbors, are inherently self-destructive. They have evidence of increased sulfur content, which is a proxy for pyrite, a known weathering accelerant in Kärkevagge. [source] Development of partial rock veneers by root throw in a subalpine settingEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 1 2006W. R. Osterkamp Abstract Rock veneers stabilize hillslope surfaces, occur especially in areas of immature soil, and form through a variety of process sets that includes root throw. Near Westcliffe, Colorado, USA, data were collected from a 20 × 500 m transect on the east slope of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Ages of pit/mound complexes with rock fragments exposed at the surface by root throw ranged from recent (freshly toppled tree) to unknown (complete tree decay). Calculations based on dimensions of the pit/mound complexes, estimated time of tree toppling, sizes of exposed rock fragments, and percentage rock covers at pit/mound complexes, as well as within the transect area, indicate that recent rates of root throw have resulted in only partial rock veneering since late Pleistocene deglaciation. Weathering of rock fragments prevents development of an extensive rock veneer and causes a balance, achieved within an estimated 700 years, between the rates of rock-fragment exposure by root throw and clast disintegration by chemical reduction. The estimated rate of rock-fragment reduction accounts for part of the fluvial sediment yields observed for forested subalpine areas of western North America. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Weathering control over geomorphology of supermature Proterozoic Delhi quartzites of IndiaEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 13 2003Jayant K. Tripathi Abstract Quartz and quartzite are thought to be resistant as a mineral and a rock respectively; however, we have shown that the presence of small amounts of pyrite in the quartzites makes them vulnerable to weathering. We observe that weathering of Proterozoic quartzite in the semi-arid conditions around Delhi proceeded from fractures towards the inside and produced weathering rinds. The chemical index of alteration (CIA), which is actually a measure of weathering of aluminosilicate minerals, increases from the core outwards, through the rinds. Although aluminosilicate minerals occur only as minor phases (<2 per cent), their weathering indicates a movement of the weathering front from the periphery towards the core. We have suggested a coupled mechanism in which the dissolution of pyrites by moving water produced a sulphate-bearing acidic solution and ferrous iron, which reacted with aluminosilicate minerals and quartz, respectively. This initially makes the Delhi quartzite porous and subsequently friable. The total disintegration of grain to grain contacts imparted friability to this quartzite to produce silica sand. Subsequent physical erosion of loose sand, produced during rind development in the outermost zones, has given rise to features like tors, spheroids, gullies, cavities and small-scale caves on these quartzites. Thus, the terrain has acquired ruggedness in semi-arid conditions. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Weathering rates of buried machine-polished rock disks, Kärkevagge, Swedish LaplandEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 8 2002Colin E. Thorn Abstract Some 48 dolomite, 37 granite, and 19 limestone machine-polished disks were buried at soil horizon boundaries in 16 soil pits to maximum depths of 0·5,0·6 m within Kärkevagge, a presently periglacial, glaciated trough in Arctic Sweden. The objective of the ongoing study is to determine near-surface ,potential' weathering rates beneath birch forest, Dryas heath, heath, meadow, solifluction meadow, and willow vegetation cover types. Selected disks were excavated after 1 year, and all disks were excavated after 4 or 5 years. The limestone disks weathered fastest, followed closely by the dolomite disks, but the granite disks weathered at much slower rates. Mean annual percentage mass loss over 4 or 5 years was 0·473 ± 0·145% (two standard errors) for dolomite disks, 0·032 ± 0·005% (two standard errors) for granite disks, and 1·104 ± 0·446% (two standard errors) for limestone disks. For dolomite disks the Dryas heath and heath environments weathered the most slowly, a trend that was generally followed by the granite disks. Poor drainage (i.e. increasing wetness) and decreasing pH were found to promote dolomite weathering rates in a statistically significant manner. Surficial and subsurface weathering rates at individual sites were generally found to be correlated for dolomite, but not granite. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Weathering and aging of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene in soil increases toxicity to potworm Enchytraeus crypticusENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 10 2005Roman G. Kuperman Abstract Energetic materials are employed in a wide range of commercial and military activities and often are released into the environment. Scientifically based ecological soil-screening levels (Eco-SSLs) are needed to identify contaminant explosive levels in soil that present an acceptable ecological risk. Insufficient information for 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) to generate Eco-SSLs for soil invertebrates necessitated toxicity testing. We adapted the standardized Enchytraeid Reproduction Test and selected Enchytraeus crypticus for these studies. Tests were conducted in Sassafras sandy loam soil, which supports relatively high bioavailability of TNT. Weathering and aging procedures for TNT amended to test soil were incorporated into the study design to produce toxicity data that better reflect the soil exposure conditions in the field compared with toxicity in freshly amended soils. This included exposing hydrated TNT-amended soils in open glass containers in the greenhouse to alternating wetting and drying cycles. Definitive tests showed that toxicity for E. crypticus adult survival and juvenile production was increased significantly in weathered and aged soil treatments compared with toxicity in freshly amended soil based on 95% confidence intervals. The median effect concentration and 20% effective concentration for reproduction were 98 and 77 mg/kg, respectively, for TNT freshly amended into soil and 48 and 37 mg/kg, respectively, for weathered and aged TNT soil treatments. These findings of increased toxicity to E. crypticus in weathered and aged TNT soil treatments compared with exposures in freshly amended soils show that future investigations should include a weathering and aging component to generate toxicity data that provide more complete information on ecotoxicological effects of energetic contaminants in soil. [source] The Prestige oil spill.ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 9 2005Abstract In vitro biodegradation of the Prestige heavy fuel oil has been carried out using two microbial consortia obtained by enrichment in different substrates to simulate its environmental fate and potential utility for bioremediation. Different conditions, such as incubation time (i.e., 20 or 40 d), oil weathering, and addition of an oleophilic fertilizer (S200), were evaluated. Weathering slowed down the degradation of the fuel oil, probably because of the loss of lower and more labile components, but the addition of S200 enhanced significantly the extension of the biodegradation. n -Alkanes, alkylcyclohexanes, alkylbenzenes, and the two- to three-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were degraded in 20 or 40 d of incubation of the original oil, whereas the biodegradation efficiency decreased for higher PAHs and with the increase of alkylation. Molecular markers were degraded according to the following sequence: Acyclic isoprenoids < diasteranes < C27 -steranes < ,,-steranes < homohopanes < monoaromatic steranes < triaromatic steranes. Isomeric selectivity was observed within the C1 - and C2 -phenanthrenes, dibenzothiophenes, pyrenes, and chrysenes, providing source and weathering indices for the characterization of the heavy oil spill. Acyclic isoprenoids, C27 -steranes, C1 - and C2 -naphthalenes, phenanthrenes, and dibenzothiophenes were degraded completely when S200 was used. The ratios of the C2 - and C3 -alkyl homologues of fluoranthene/pyrene and chrysene/benzo[a]anthracene are proposed as source ratios in moderately degraded oils. The 4-methylpyrene and 3-methylchrysene were refractory enough to serve as conserved internal markers in assessing the degradation of the aromatic fraction in a manner similar to that of hopane, as used for the aliphatic fraction. [source] Micromorphology of soils derived from volcanic ash in Europe: a review and synthesisEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2007G. Stoops Summary An analysis of the available literature on European volcanic ash soils has been made. Most has been published in Congress proceedings and Journals of national societies, less than half in English. More than half of the papers deal with soils on the Canary Islands. Many papers focus only on one aspect, and complete descriptions are found only in recent publications. Often the use of vague micromorphological terminology and the absence of analytical data make interpretation and comparisons difficult or impossible. Nonetheless, some general features do emerge. In the least-weathered soils, the micromass forms first coatings around the coarse constituents, later granules, finally giving rise to a loose granular microstructure in the topsoil, and a compacted granular one in the Bw horizons of typic andic materials. The b-fabric of the micromass is undifferentiated. With increasing weathering, clay coatings appear, the microstructure becomes more blocky and the b-fabric becomes speckled or even striated. In Vertisols and Aridisols, micromorphological characteristics are not much different from those in the comparable non-volcanic soils, except generally for the tendency to granular (intrapedal) microstructures. In Icelandic soils, microstratification, lenticular microstructure and preservation of plant residues as a result of cryic conditions and permanent volcanic and aeolian activity are observed. Weathering of volcanic glass in well-drained conditions yields allophane alteromorphs similar to palagonite, which are easily subject to fragmentation by pedoturbation. The possible influence of surface transport and burial on the formation of Bw-horizons in andic materials is discussed. [source] Weathering and allophane neoformation in soils developed on volcanic ash in the AzoresEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2007M. Gérard Summary On Faial and Pico islands (Azores), we studied two profiles on basaltic pyroclasts that contain buried horizons, and we focussed on petrography, micropedology and mineralogy. Emphasis was given to weathering of the lapilli and ashes, and the neoformation of allophane. A combination of optical studies, in situ chemical analyses, X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy of clay fractions revealed that allophane is present both in the micromass of the groundmass, in alteromorphs after lapilli or pumice, and in clay coatings. Whereas most studies describe allophane as a colloidal fraction formed by the congruent and total dissolution of the ashes, this study shows evidence for the formation of allophane alteromorphs, due to leaching of Si and cations, with preservation of the original shapes of the tephra. The allophane alteromorphs often display optical characteristics that resemble those of palagonite. Increasing alteration is observed through three steps: (i) hydration of the glass associated with strong cation and Si leaching, (ii) allophane hypocoatings, and (iii) allophane alteromorphs with development of intragrain bridges. The chemical signature of the alteromorphs varies from a pure alumino-silicate at one extreme to an Fe(Ti) enriched alumino-silicate at the other. Between those two extremes, the colour grades from yellow to dark orange, with microzonations. An Al-rich allophane composition is associated with gibbsite in the EUR6-Pico profile, whereas at the base of the EUR5-Faial profile, Si-rich allophane is associated with halloysite. Some variations of the palaeo-environment are also suggested by strong iron segregation observed with various secondary phases (ferrihydrite, haematite, iddingsite). [source] Regionalisation of chemical variability in European mountain lakesFRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 12 2009LLUĶS CAMARERO Summary 1. We carried out a coordinated survey of mountain lakes covering the main ranges across Europe (including Greenland), sampling 379 lakes above the local tree line in 2000. The objectives were to identify the main sources of chemical variability in mountain lakes, define a chemical classification of lakes, and develop tools to extrapolate our results to regional lake populations through an empirical regionalisation or upscaling of chemical properties. 2. We investigated the main causes of chemical variability using factor analysis (FA) and empirical relationships between chemistry and several environmental variables. Weathering, sea salt inputs, atmospheric deposition of N and S, and biological activity in soils of the catchment were identified as the major drivers of lake chemistry. 3. We tested discriminant analysis (DA) to predict the lake chemistry. It was possible to use the lithology of the catchments to predict the range of Ca2+ and SO42, into which a lake of unknown chemistry will decrease. Lakes with lower SO42, concentrations have little geologically derived S, and better reflect the variations in atmospheric S loading. The influence of marine aerosols on lakewater chemistry could also be predicted from the minimum distance to the sea and altitude of the lakes. 4. The most remarkable result of FA was to reveal a factor correlated to DOC (positively) and NO3, (negatively). This inverse relationship might be the result either of independent processes active in the catchment soils and acting in an opposite sense, or a direct interaction, e.g. limitation of denitrification by DOC availability. Such a relationship has been reported in the recent literature in many sites and at all scales, appearing to be a global pattern that could reflect the link between the C and N cycles. 5. The concentration of NO3, is determined by both atmospheric N deposition and the processing capacity of the catchments (i.e. N uptake by plants and soil microbes). The fraction of the variability in NO3, because of atmospheric deposition is captured by an independent factor in the FA. This is the only factor showing a clear pattern when mapped over Europe, indicating lower N deposition in the northernmost areas. 6. A classification has been derived which takes into account all the major chemical features of the mountain lakes in Europe. FA provided the criteria to establish the most important factors influencing lake water chemistry, define classes within them, and classify the surveyed lakes into each class. DA can be used as a tool to scale up the classification to unsurveyed lakes, regarding sensitivity to acidification, marine influence and sources of S. [source] Health Policy Roundtable: How Are Medicaid and SCHIP Weathering the Storm?HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH, Issue 3p1 2006Christina E. Folz First page of article [source] The Correlation Between Skeletal Weathering and DNA Quality and Quantity,JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES, Issue 4 2009Lisa M. Misner M.S. Abstract:, Mitochondrial DNA analysis of skeletal material is invaluable in forensic identification, although results can vary widely among remains. Previous studies have included bones of different ages, burial conditions, and even species. In the research presented, a collection of human remains that lacked major confounders such as burial age, interment style, and gross environmental conditions, while displaying a very broad range of skeletal degradation, were examined for both mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) quality and quantity. Overall skeletal weathering, individual bone weathering, and bone variety were considered. Neither skeletal nor bone weathering influenced DNA quality or quantity, indicating that factors that degrade bone do not have the same effect on DNA. In contrast, bone variety, regardless of weathering level, was a significant element in DNA amplification success. Taken together, the results indicate that neither skeletal nor individual bone appearance are reliable indicators of subsequent mtDNA typing outcomes, while the type of bone assayed is. [source] Weathering of hair in trichoteiromaniaAUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2004Jeremy P Banky SUMMARY A 74-year-old woman presented with an 18-month history of broken vertex scalp hairs as a consequence of chronic rubbing. Light microscopy of the 1,2 cm hairs demonstrated distal brush-like splitting. Education and behavioural therapy were instituted. After 4 months of reduced rubbing of the vertex scalp hairs, the hairs re-grew with no evidence of persistent hair shaft abnormality. [source] Weathering of Monuments at Jethawanaramaya Complex in North-Central, Sri LankaACTA GEOLOGICA SINICA (ENGLISH EDITION), Issue 5 2009Amila Sandaruwan RATNAYAKE Abstract: Sri Lanka has the richest archaeological sites in Asia. Jethawanarama Complex, one of the valuable sites in the country, is suffering from deterioration due to weathering. Monuments were built mainly from stones (granitic gneiss and marble) and clay bricks. The present study aimed to categorize weathering forms and interpret the recently-developing weathering processes. The growing of lichens on surfaces and the development of saline conditions are the major threats on the survival of monuments other than the typical weathering processes of tropical climates Morinite (NaCa2Al2[PO4)]2 [F,OH]5·2H2O) is identified as a weathering product of monuments and is generated from lichens. [source] First Occurrence of Mandarinoite in ChinaACTA GEOLOGICA SINICA (ENGLISH EDITION), Issue 2 2003Harvey E. BELKIN Abstract This report describes the first occurrence of the rare mineral mandarinoite (Fe3+2Se3O9 · 6H2O) in China. It occurs in the Lower Permian Maokou Formation carbonaceous shale in Yutangba Village east of Enshi City in southwestern Hubei Province. The shale is selenium-rich and contains native selenium, V-Mo-Cr-bearing iron oxide, clay and quartz. Weathering of the selenium in the bedrock under moderate to high redox conditions in the presence of ferric iron has formed mandarinoite. [source] Weathering of the hairless scalp: a study using skin capacitance imaging and ultraviolet light-enhanced visualizationCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2010E. Xhauflaire-Uhoda Summary The balding scalp is particularly exposed to sunlight, hence, the overall ageing process modulated by ultraviolet and near-infrared light may be increased at this location. The induced changes are better revealed under ultraviolet light examination. Any alteration in the epidermal maturation is potentially reflected by stratum corneum changes observed as disturbances on skin-capacitance imaging. [source] Processes controlling rapid temperature variations on rock surfaces,EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 5 2010Jamie L. Molaro Abstract In arid environments, thermal oscillations are an important source of rock weathering. Measurements of temperature have been made on the surface of rocks in a desert environment at a sampling interval of 0·375,s, with simultaneous measurements of wind speed, air temperature, and incoming shortwave radiation. Over timescales of hours, the temperature of the rock surface was determined primarily by shortwave radiation and air temperature, while rapid temperature variations, high dT/dt, at intervals of seconds or less, were determined by wind speed. The maximum values of temperature change and time spent above 2°C,min,1 increased at high measurement rates and were much higher than previously reported. The maximum recorded value of dT/dt was 137°C,min,1 and the average percentage time spent above 2°C,min,1 was ,70 ± 13%. Maximum values of dT/dt did not correlate with the maximum values of time spent above 2°C,min,1. Simultaneous measurements of two thermocouples 5·5,cm apart on a single rock surface had similar temperature and dT/dt values, but were not correlated at sampling intervals of less than 10,s. It is suggested that this is resulting from rapid fluctuations due to small spatial and timescale wind effects that are averaged out when data is taken at longer sampling intervals, ,10,s or greater. Published in 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Weathering the escarpment: chemical and physical rates and processes, south-eastern AustraliaEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 6 2009Benjamin C. Burke Abstract Differences in chemical weathering extent and character are expected to exist across topographic escarpments due to spatial gradients of climatic and/or tectonic forcing. The passive margin escarpment of south-eastern Australia has a debated but generally accepted model of propagation in which it retreated (within 40 Ma) to near its current position following rifting between Australia and New Zealand 85,100 Ma before present. We focus on this escarpment to quantify chemical weathering rates and processes and how they may provide insight into scarp evolution and retreat. We compare chemical weathering extents and rates above and below the escarpment using a mass balance approach coupling major and trace element analyses with previous measurements of denudation rates using cosmogenic nuclides (10Be and 26Al). We find a slight gradient in saprolite chemical weathering rate as a percentage of total weathering rate across the escarpment. The lowlands area, encompassing the region extending from the base of the escarpment to the coast, experiences a greater extent of chemical weathering than the highland region above the escarpment. Percents of denudation attributable to saprolite weathering average 57 ± 6% and 47 ± 7% at low and high sites respectively. Furthermore, the chemical index of alteration (CIA), a ratio of immobile to mobile oxides in granitic material that increases with weathering extent, have corresponding average values of 73·7 ± 3·9 and 65·5 ± 3·4, indicating lower extents of weathering above the escarpment. Finally, we quantify variations in the rates and extent of chemical weathering at the hillslope scale across the escarpment to suggest new insight into how climate differences and hillslope topography help drive landscape evolution, potentially overprinting longer term tectonic forcing. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Flow energy and channel adjustments in rills developed in loamy sand and sandy loam soilsEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 1 2009Jovan R. Stefanovic Abstract The storms usually associated with rill development in nature are seldom prolonged, so development is often interrupted by interstorm disturbances, e.g. weathering or tillage. In laboratory simulated rainfall experiments, active rill development can be prolonged, and under these conditions typically passes through a period of intense incision, channel extension and bifurcation before reaching quasi-stable conditions in which little form change occurs. This paper presents laboratory experiments with coarse textured soils under simulated rainfall which show how channel adjustment processes contribute to the evolution of quasi-stability. Newly incised rills were stabilized for detailed study of links between rill configuration and flow energy. On a loamy sand, adjustment towards equilibrium occurred due to channel widening and meandering, whereas on a sandy loam, mobile knickpoints and chutes, pulsations in flow width and flow depth and changes in stream power and sediment discharge occurred as the channel adjusted towards equilibrium. The tendency of rill systems towards quasi-stability is shown by changes in stream power values which show short-lived minima. Differences in energy dissipation in stabilized rills indicate that minimization of energy dissipation was reached locally between knickpoints and at the downstream ends of rills. In the absence of energy gradients in knickpoints and chutes, stabilized rill sections tended toward equilibrium by establishing uniform energy expenditure. The study confirmed that energy dissipation increased with flow aspect ratio. In stabilized rills, flow acceleration reduced energy dissipation on the loamy sand but not on the sandy loam. On both soils flow deceleration tended to increase energy dissipation. Understanding how rill systems evolve towards stability is essential in order to predict how interruptions between storms may affect long-term rill dynamics. This is essential if event-based physical models are to become effective in predicting sediment transport on rilled hillslopes under changing weather and climatic conditions. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. [source] Tafoni development in a cryotic environment: an example from Northern Victoria Land, AntarcticaEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 10 2008Andrea Strini Abstract Tafoni are a type of cavernous weathering widespread around the world. Despite the extensive distribution of the tafoni, their genesis is not clear and is still a matter of debate, also because they occur in such different climatic conditions and on so many different types of substrate. Geomorphological characterization of more than 60 tafoni in three different Antarctic sites (two coastal and one inland) between 74 and 76° S with sampling of weathering products and salt occurrences are described together with thermal data (on different surfaces) and wind speed recorded in different periods of the year in a selected tafone close to the Italian Antarctic station. The aim of this present study is to provide further information to help understand the processes involved in the growth of tafoni in a cryotic environment, and the relationship of these processes to climate, with particular attention to the thermal regime and the role of wind. The new data presented in this paper suggest that there is no single key factor that drives the tafoni development, although thermal stress seems the most efficient process, particularly if we consider the short-term fluctuations. The data also confirm that other thermal processes, such as freezing,thawing cycles and thermal shock, are not really effective for the development of tafoni in this area. The wind speed measured within the tafoni is half that recorded outside, thus favouring snow accumulation within the tafoni and therefore promoting salt crystallization. On the other hand, the wind effect on the thermal regime within the tafoni seems negligible. While both salt weathering and thermal stress appear active in this cryotic environment, these are azonal processes and are therefore active in other climatic areas where tafoni are widespread (such as the Mediterranean region). Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Multi-phase evolution of gnammas (weathering pits) in a Holocene deglacial granite landscape, Minnesota (USA)EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 2 2008David Domķnguez-Villar Abstract The morphometry of 85 gnammas (weathering pits) from Big Stone County in western Minnesota allows the assessment of the relative ages of the gnamma population. The ratio between maximum and minimum depths is independent of the initial size of the cavity and only depends on the weathering evolution. Therefore, the distribution of depth ratios can be used to assess the gnamma population age and the history of weathering. The asymmetrical distribution of depth ratios measured in Big Stone County forms three distinct populations. When these sets are analyzed independently, the correlation (r2) between maximum and minimum depths is greater than 0·95. Each single population has a normal distribution of depth ratios and the average depth ratios (, -value) for each population are ,1 = 1·60 ± 0·05, ,2 = 2·09 ± 0·04 and ,3 = 2·42 ± 0·08. The initiation of gnamma formation followed the exhumation of the granite in the region. This granite was till and saprolite covered upon retreat of the ice from the Last Glacial Maximum. Nearby outcrops are striated, but the study site remained buried until it was exhumed by paleofloods issuing from a proglacial lake. These Holocene-aged gnammas in western Minnesota were compared with gnammas of other ages from around the world. Our new results are in accordance with the hypothesis that , -values represent the evolution of gnammas with time under temperate- to cold-climate dynamics. Phases of the formation of new gnammas may result from changes in weathering processes related to climate changes. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A new technique for non-destructive field measurement of rock-surface strength: an application of the Equotip hardness tester to weathering studiesEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 12 2007Hisashi Aoki Abstract Tafone-like depressions have developed on the Aoshima sandstone blocks used for a masonry bridge pier in the coastal spray zone. A thin layer of partial granular disintegration was found on the surface in depressions. To evaluate quantitatively the strength of the thin weathered layer, the hardness was measured at the surface of the sandstone blocks using both an Equotip hardness tester and an L-type Schmidt hammer. Comparison of the two testing results indicates that the Equotip hardness value is more sensitive in evaluating the strength of a thin layer of weathered surface rock than the Schmidt hardness value. By applying two methods, i.e. both the repeated impact method and the single impact method, the Equotip tester can evaluate the strengths of fresh internal and weathered surficial portions of rocks having a thin weathering layer. Comparison of the two strengths enables evaluation of strength reduction due to weathering. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The role of mineralogy, geochemistry and grain size in badland development in Pisticci (Basilicata, southern Italy)EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 7 2007V. Summa Abstract Mineralogical, geochemical and grain-size composition of soil and pore-water chemistry parameters were characterized on both eroded (south-facing) and non-eroded (north-facing) clayey-silt slopes in the Basilicata region (southern Italy). Only a few grain-size parameters and clay mineralogy discriminate eroded from non-eroded substrates. Compared with the latter, the former have fractions of over 63 µm and 1,4 µm lower and fractions 4,63 µm higher. Grain-size characters of crusts did not discriminate with respect to substrate. Bulk rock mineralogy was not distinctive, but the clay mineral assemblage shows that the eroded slope is enriched in kaolinite, mixed layers (illite,smectite) and chlorite, whereas illite decreases, although overlaps are common. Chemical data enable discrimination between eroded and non-eroded slopes. pH, SAR (sodium adsorption ratio), TDS (total dissolved salts) and PS (percentage of sodium) are distinctive parameters for both eroded and non-eroded slopes. TDS increases in depth in the non-eroded slope, whereas the maximum TDS is just below the crust in the eroded one. On average, eroded substrates are higher in pH, SAR and PS than non-eroded ones. The ESP (exchangeable sodium percentage) of the eroded slope has a higher value than the non-eroded one. Crusts are less dispersive than eroded substrates, and non-eroded substrates behave as crusts. This suggests that the portion of the slope most severely exposed to weathering tends to stabilize, due to strong decreases in SAR, PS and ESP. Several diagrams reported in the literature show similarly anomalous crust samples on eroded slopes, compared with other samples coming from greater depths on eroded slopes. In the present case study, the exchangeable form of Na characterizes crusts more than the soluble form. This study describes the erosional mechanism, which involves morphological and geographic exposure and climatic elements, as well as grain size, mineralogy, chemistry and exchangeable processes of soils. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Laboratory simulation of the salt weathering of schist: II.EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 5 2007Fragmentation of fine schist particles Abstract Recent developments in long term landform evolution modelling have created a new demand for quantitative salt weathering data, and in particular data describing the size distribution of the weathered rock fragments. To enable future development of rock breakdown models for use in landscape evolution and soil production models, laboratory work was undertaken to extend existing schist/salt weathering fragmentation studies to include an examination of the breakdown of sub-millimetre quartz chlorite schist particles in a seasonally wet tropical climate. Laser particle sizing was used to assess the impact of different experimental procedures on the resulting particle size distribution. The results reveal that salt weathering under a range of realistic simulated tropical wet season conditions produces a significant degree of schist particle breakdown. The fragmentation of the schist is characterized by splitting of the larger fragments into mid-sized product with finer material produced, possibly from the breakdown of mid-sized fragments when weathering is more advanced. Salinity, the salt addition method and temperature were all found to affect weathering rates. Subtle differences in mineralogy also produce variations in weathering patterns and rates. It is also shown that an increase in drying temperature leads to accelerated weathering rates, however, the geometry of the fracture process is not significantly affected. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Sedimentological, modal analysis and geochemical studies of desert and coastal dunes, Altar Desert, NW MexicoEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 4 2007J. J. Kasper-Zubillaga Abstract Sedimentological, compositional and geochemical determinations were carried out on 54 desert and coastal dune sand samples to study the provenance of desert and coastal dunes of the Altar Desert, Sonora, Mexico. Grain size distributions of the desert dune sands are influenced by the Colorado River Delta sediment supply and wind selectiveness. The desert dune sands are derived mainly from the quartz-rich Colorado River Delta sediments and sedimentary lithics. The dune height does not exert a control over the grain size distributions of the desert dune sands. The quartz enrichment of the desert dune sands may be due to wind sorting, which concentrates more quartz grains, and to the aeolian activity, which has depleted the feldspar grains through subaerial collisions. The desert dune sands suffer from little chemical weathering and they are chemically homogeneous, with chemical alteration indices similar to those found in other deserts of the world. The desert sands have been more influenced by sedimentary and granitic sources. This is supported by the fact that Ba and Sr concentration values of the desert sands are within the range of the Ba and Sr concentration values of the Colorado River quartz-rich sediments. The Sr values are also linked to the presence of Ca-bearing minerals. The Zr values are linked to the sedimentary sources and heavy mineral content in the desert dunes. The Golfo de Santa Clara and Puerto Peńasco coastal dune sands are influenced by long shore drift, tidal and aeolian processes. Coarse grains are found on the flanks whereas fine grains are on the crest of the dunes. High tidal regimens, long shore drift and supply from Colorado Delta River sediments produce quartz-rich sands on the beach that are subsequently transported into the coastal dunes. Outcrops of Quaternary sedimentary rocks and granitic sources increase the sedimentary and plutonic lithic content of the coastal dune sands. The chemical index of alteration (CIA) values for the desert and coastal dune sands indicate that both dune types are chemically homogeneous. The trace element values for the coastal dune sands are similar to those found for the desert dune sands. However, an increase in Sr content in the coastal dune sands may be due to more CaCO3 of biogenic origin as compared to the desert dune sands. Correlations between the studied parameters show that the dune sands are controlled by sedimentary sources (e.g. Colorado River Delta sediments), since heavy minerals are present in low percentages in the dune sands, probably due to little heavy mineral content from the source sediment; grain sizes in the dune sands are coarser than those in which heavy minerals are found and/or the wind speed might not exert a potential entrainment effect on the heavy mineral fractions to be transported into the dune. A cluster analysis shows that the El Pinacate group is significantly different from the rest of the dune sands in terms of the grain-size parameters due to longer transport of the sands and the long distance from the source sediment, whereas the Puerto Peńasco coastal dune sands are different from the rest of the groups in terms of their geochemistry, probably caused by their high CaCO3 content and slight decrease in the CIA value. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The interaction between armouring and particle weathering for eroding landscapesEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 10 2006Saniya Sharmeen Abstract The interaction between particle weathering and surface armouring and its effect on erosion has been investigated. The effect of soil armouring is to decrease sediment transport with time by preferentially stripping away fine particles. On the other hand the effect of weathering, which breaks down the particles in the armour, is generally believed to increase erosion. By extending an existing armouring model, ARMOUR, and using a variety of published weathering mechanisms this interaction has been explored. The model predicts that while this is generally true, in some cases erosion can be decreased by weathering. When the particles generated by weathering were approximately of equal diameter, erosion increased while armouring decreased. When weathering produced very fine particles by spalling, erosion increased and armouring also increased. When weathering produced a range of particles from fine to coarse, the armour layer broke down and erosion decreased relative to the no-weathering case. This latter decrease in erosion was due to the high entrainment of coarser transportable materials from the bed decreasing the sediment transport capacity of the flow. In these studies clear regimes could be identified where erosion was limited by either the energy of the flow alone (i.e. ,transport-limited'), or the rate of weathering (,weathering-limited'); however, for some mechanisms there was an interaction between the two, which we called ,weathering/transport limited'. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A Rb/Sr record of catchment weathering response to Holocene climate change in Inner MongoliaEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 3 2006Zhangdong Jin Abstract Variation in the rubidium to strontium (Rb/Sr) ratio of the loess,palaeosol sequences has been proposed to reflect the degree of pedogenesis and weathering in the northwestern region of China. To characterize the Rb/Sr ratio of the dissolved loads of a single catchment, we analysed a 12·08 m sediment core from Daihai Lake in Inner Mongolia, north China. Dating control was provided by 210Pb, 137Cs and AMS- 14C. Sequential extraction experiments were conducted to investigate the concentrations of Rb and Sr on various chemical fractions in the lake sediments. Down-core variation in the Rb/Sr ratios provides a record of Holocene weathering history. From 9 to 3·5 ka bp, accelerated chemical weathering was experienced throughout the Daihai catchment under mainly warm and humid conditions, and this reached a maximum at c. 5 ka bp. However, weathering was reduced between c. 8·25 and 7·90 ka bp, which may reflect the global 8·2 ka cooling event. After c. 2·5 ka bp, increased Rb/Sr ratios with higher frequency of fluctuations indicate reduced weathering within the Daihai catchment. The highest Rb/Sr ratios in the Little Ice Age lake sediments indicate the weakest phase of Holocene chemical weathering, resulting from a marked reduction in Sr flux into the basin. The Rb/Sr record also shows an enhancement of chemical weathering under today's climate, but its intensity is less than that of the Medieval Warm Period. Increased Rb/Sr in lake sediment corresponding to reduced catchment weathering is in striking contrast to Rb/Sr decrease in the glacial loess layers in the loess,palaeosol sequence. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Using Rock-Eval 6 pyrolysis for tracking fossil organic carbon in modern environments: implications for the roles of erosion and weatheringEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 2 2006Yoann Copard Abstract This work relates to the debate on the fossil organic carbon (FOC) input in modern environments and its possible implication for the carbon cycle, and suggests the use of Rock-Eval 6 pyrolysis as a relevant tool for tracking FOC in such environments. Considering that such a delivery is mainly due to supergene processes affecting the continental surface, we studied organic matter in different reservoirs such as bedrocks, alterites, soils and rivers in two experimental catchments at Draix (Alpes de Haute Provence, France). Samples were subjected to geochemical (Rock-Eval 6 pyrolysis) investigations and artificial bacterial degradations. After comparing the geochemical fingerprint of samples, geochemical markers of FOC were defined and tracked in the different reservoirs. Our results confirm the contribution of FOC in modern soils and rivers and display the various influences of weathering and erosional processes on the fate of FOC during its exchange between these pools. In addition, the contrasting behaviour of these markers upon the supergene processes has also highlighted the refractory or labile characters of the fossil organic matter (FOM). Bedrock to river fluxes, controlled by gully erosion, are characterized by a qualitative and quantitative preservation of FOM. Bedrock to alterite fluxes, governed by chemical weathering, are characterized by FOC mineralization without qualitative changes in deeper alterites. Alterite to soils fluxes, controlled by (bio)chemical weathering, are characterized by strong FOC mineralization and qualitative changes of FOM. Thus weathering and erosional processes induce different FOM evolution and affect the fate of FOC towards the global carbon cycle. In this study, gully erosion would involve maintenance of an ancient sink for the global carbon cycle, while (bio)chemical processes provide a source of CO2. Finally, this study suggests that Rock-Eval 6 pyrolysis can be considered as a relevant tool for tracking FOC in modern environments. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Process,form relationships in Southern Italian badlands: erosion rates and implications for landform evolutionEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 1 2006Michčle L. Clarke Abstract Characteristic badlands are incised into Plio-Pleistocene clays in Basilicata, southern Italy, creating steep, scarp slopes with knife-edge ridges (calanchi) and small dome-shaped forms (biancane). Erosion pin data for the period 1997,2003 give mean annual erosion rates for dome-shaped biancane in the range 9,19 mm a,1, while rates for the calanchi scarps are lower, at 7,10 mm a,1. The erosion pin data also show a non-linear relationship with slope angle. Maximum erosion rates coincide with a slope angle of 35°, within an envelope defined by combining the theoretical effects of both rainsplash and surface weathering. Monitoring of surface changes and erosion rates for two 0·5 m2 cleared swathes on biancane forms reveals a complex relationship between weathering and erosion. Characteristic forms can develop from large blocks of intact clay bedrock over a time period of less than 30 a. The implications of the measured erosion rates for the landform association of mountain front/pediment/domed inselberg are explored. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The role of moisture cycling in the weathering of a quartz chlorite schist in a tropical environment: findings of a laboratory simulationEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 4 2005Tony Wells Abstract Long-term weathering of a quartz chlorite schist via wetting and drying was studied under a simulated tropical climate. Cubic rock samples (15 mm × 15 mm × 15 mm) were cut from larger rocks and subjected to time-compressed climatic conditions simulating the tropical wet season climate at the Ranger Uranium Mine in the Northern Territory, Australia. Fragmentation, moisture content and moisture uptake rate were monitored over 5000 cycles of wetting and drying. To determine the impact of climatic variables, five climatic regimes were simulated, varying water application, temperature and drying. One of the climatic regimes reproduced observed temperature and moisture variability at the Ranger Uranium Mine, but over a compressed time scale. It is shown that wetting and drying is capable of weathering quartz chlorite schist with changes expected over a real time period of decades. While wetting and drying alone does produce changes to rock morphology, the incorporation of temperature variation further enhances weathering rates. Although little fragmentation occurred in experiments, significant changes to internal pore structure were observed, which could potentially enhance other weathering mechanisms. Moisture variability is shown to lead to higher weathering rates than are observed when samples are subjected only to leaching. Finally, experiments were conducted on two rock samples from the same source having only subtle differences in mineralogy. The samples exhibited quite different weathering rates leading to the conclusion that our knowledge of the role of rock type and composition in weathering is insufficient for the accurate determination of weathering rates. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Weathering control over geomorphology of supermature Proterozoic Delhi quartzites of IndiaEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 13 2003Jayant K. Tripathi Abstract Quartz and quartzite are thought to be resistant as a mineral and a rock respectively; however, we have shown that the presence of small amounts of pyrite in the quartzites makes them vulnerable to weathering. We observe that weathering of Proterozoic quartzite in the semi-arid conditions around Delhi proceeded from fractures towards the inside and produced weathering rinds. The chemical index of alteration (CIA), which is actually a measure of weathering of aluminosilicate minerals, increases from the core outwards, through the rinds. Although aluminosilicate minerals occur only as minor phases (<2 per cent), their weathering indicates a movement of the weathering front from the periphery towards the core. We have suggested a coupled mechanism in which the dissolution of pyrites by moving water produced a sulphate-bearing acidic solution and ferrous iron, which reacted with aluminosilicate minerals and quartz, respectively. This initially makes the Delhi quartzite porous and subsequently friable. The total disintegration of grain to grain contacts imparted friability to this quartzite to produce silica sand. Subsequent physical erosion of loose sand, produced during rind development in the outermost zones, has given rise to features like tors, spheroids, gullies, cavities and small-scale caves on these quartzites. Thus, the terrain has acquired ruggedness in semi-arid conditions. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||