『Abstract
Investigations to understand linkages among, climate, erosion
and weathering are central to quantifying landscape evolution.
We approach these linkages through synthesis of regolith data
for granitic terrain compiled with respect to climate, geochemistry,
and denudation rates for low sloping upland profiles. Focusing
on Na as a proxy for plagioclase weathering, we quantified regolith
Na depletion, Na mass loss, and the relative partitioning of denudation
to physical and chemical contributions. The depth and magnitude
of regolith Na depletion increased continuously with increasing
water availability, except for locations with mean annual temperatures
<5℃ that exhibited little Na depletion, and locations with physical
erosion rates <20 g m-2 yr-1 that exhibited
deep and complete regolith Na depletion. Surface Na depletion
also tended to decrease with increasing physical erosion. Depth-integrated
Na mass loss and regolith depth were both three orders of magnitude
greater in the fully depleted, low erosion rate sites relative
to other locations. These locations exhibited strong erosion-limitation
of Na chemical weathering rates based on correlation of Na chemical
weathering rate to total Na denudation. Sodium weathering rates
in cool locations with positive annual water balance were strongly
correlated to total Na denudation and precipitation, and exhibited
an average apparent activation energy (Ea) of 68 kJ mol-1
Na. The remaining water-limited locations exhibited kinetic limitation
of Na weathering rates with an Ea of 136 kJ mol-1 Na,
roughly equivalent to the sum of laboratory measures of Ea and
dissolution reaction enthalpy for albite. Water availability is
suggested as the dominant factor limiting rate kinetics in the
water-limited systems. Together, these data demonstrate marked
transitions and nonlinearity in how climate and tectonics correlate
to plagioclase chemical weathering and Na mass loss.
Keywords: denudation; chemical weathering; physical erosion; granite;
regolith; climate』
1. Introduction
2. Materials and methods
2.1. Study sites and approach
2.2. Chemical depletion and mass flux
2.3. Denudation rates
2.4. Modeling of weathering rate controls
3. Results and discussion
3.1. Regolith depletion profiles
3.2. Surface Na depletion and environmental variables
3.3. Regolith depth and Na mass loss
3.4. Erosion and kinetic limits on Na chemical weathering
4. Summary
Acknowledgements
References