『Abstract
We review the contribution made to understanding landform evolution
through the use of the micro-erosion meter (MEM) and the variant,
the traversing micro-erosion meter (TMEM). The MEM has allowed
the direct measurement of bedrock erosion in terrestrial and coastal
settings as well as of building stone. As recorded in MEM measurements,
world wide the average rate of surface lowering on shore platforms
is 1.486 mm a-1, and on terrestrial rock surfaces,
measured lowering rates are on average 0.903 mm a-1.
Reported means obscure significant variation in rates from a range
of environmental settings and lithologies. The MEM has in a number
of examples allowed the identification of the contribution of
individual processes in polygenetic settings, particularly in
shore platform studies. The dynamic nature of rock weathering
has been highlighted, where the TMEM has revealed rock surfaces
swelling and contracting at time scales ranging from hours to
years. The MEM will continue to provide useful data on erosion
rates and processes but the most fruitful investigations will
be those that combine the T/MEM with other techniques that transcend
time and space scale issues in erosion and process measurement.
Keywords: micro-erosion meter; erosion; weathering; shore platform;
limestone; building stone decay』
Contents
1. Introduction
2. The MEM and traversing MEM
3. Terrestrial applications
4. Building stone applications
5. Rock weathering studies
6. Rock coasts-shore platforms
6.1. Rates of surface lowering
6.2. Processes revealed by the MEM and TMEM
6.2.1. Bio-erosion
6.2.2. Marine processes and abrasion
6.2.3. Subaerial and marine processes
6.3. Modelling shore platform development
7. Conclusions
Acknowledgements
References