Modeling Biogenic Weathering of Rocks from Soils of Cold Environments

Lessovaia, Sofia N.; Gerrits, Ruben; Gorbushina, Anna A.; Polekhovsky, Yury S.; Dultz, Stefan; Kopitsa, G. P.

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-21614-6_27

Cited by 3 publications

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“…The absence of a deviation of the dΣ(q)/dΩ curve from the power law (the onset of the Guinier regime) at small values of q means that the upper self-similarity limit ξ of the surface fractal is larger than the maximum size R max of the inhomogeneities (pores) that can be detected in the experiment with a given resolution: R max = 3.5/q min ≈ 60 nm. Thus, the observed scattering patterns are typical for scattering from system possessing a disordered porous (solid phase-pore medium) structure with fractal phase boundaries [83][84][85] including natural systems represented by rock fragments from shallow soils [86] and soil aggregates from mature soils [87].…”

Section: Mesostructure and Fractal Properties Of Moraine Samplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of Rock Weathering and Colonization by Biota for the Relative Dating of Moraines from the Arid Part of the Russian Altai Mountains

et al. 2021

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For the Altai Mountains’ region, especially the arid southeastern part of the Russian Altai, the data on glacier fluctuations in the Pleistocene and Holocene are still inconsistent. The study area was the Kargy River’s valley (2288–2387 m a.s.l.), a location that is not currently affected by glaciation and the glacial history of which is poorly studied. Field observations and geomorphological mapping were used to reveal the configuration of Pleistocene moraines. The relative dating method was applied to define the degree of weathering as an indicator of age. Three moraine groups of different ages (presumably MIS 6, MIS 4, and MIS 2) were identified based on a detailed investigation of their morphological features and the use of relative dating approaches. The latter were primarily based on weathering patterns. Data on the rock mineralogy, porosity, and specificity of biological colonization as an agent of weathering were obtained for the moraine debris. The studied moraines were composed of fine-grained schist, in which the specific surface area and fractality (self-similarity) were more developed in the older moraine. The growth of biota (crustose lichen and micromycetes) colonizing the rock surface led to rock disintegration and the accumulation of autochthonous fragments on the rock surface. Despite the fact that the initial stage(s) of moraine weathering affected by biota was fixed, the correlation trends of biota activity and moraine ages were not determined.

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