Probst,J.-L., Chivas,A.R. and Wilson,J.(2000):
Chemical Geology, 170, 1-3.
『The European Union of Geosciences held its 9th biannual meeting
in Strasbourg, March 23-27, 1997. During this meeting, Symposium
No.63, Weathering Processes: Mineral deposits and soil formation
in tropical environments, was merged with Symposium No. 78,
Anthropogenic Impact on Weathering processes (co-sponsored
by IGCP Project 405). The resulting symposium No. 63, Weathering
processes and Anthropogenic Impact, was held under the sponsorship
of EUROLAT〔European Network on Lateritic Weathering and Global
Environment (Web Site: http://mindepos.bg.tu-berlin.de/eurolat)〕
and attracted 36 oral and poster presentations and about 100 participants,
reflecting the interest of the Earth Sciences community in weathering
processes and anthropogenic impact.
EUROLAT was founded in 1984 as an informal group of scientists
working on laterites, tropical weathering and global environment.
The main objectives are (1) maintaining a network of information
and exchange between laboratories working on tropical regions
and on global environment, (2) initiating scientific cooperation
among European laboratories, (3) optimizing cooperation and exchange
between research scientists of tropical countries and European
laboratories. The activities of EUROLAT are mainly the organization
of scientific meetings to exchange and discuss results of ongoing
research activities and summer schools to improve the knowledge
base on laterites, tropical weathering and global environment.
Since 1984, EUROLAT meetings have been organized in Strasbourg
(1984), Delft (1985), Granada (1986, jointly with the 1st Symposium
on Geochemistry of the Earth's Surface), Freising-Weihenstsphan
(1987), Louvain-la-Neuve (1988), Strasbourg (1988), Strasbourg
(1989), Aixen Provence (1990, jointly with the 2nd Symposium on
Geochemistry of the Earth's Surface), Berlin (1991), Orleans (1993),
Belfast (1994, jointly with IGCP 317 meeting), Bondy (1995), Aveiro
(1996) and Strasbourg (1997, during the 9th EUG meeting). After
4 years of reflection, the next meeting will be probably organized
in Toulouse (2001).
The aim of Symposium No.63 was to bring together results from
various sources and disciplines related to weathering processes,
particularly in tropical regions, and to the impact of anthrogenic
activities on such processes. During the symposium, different
approaches were presented going from theoretical models, thermodynamic
and kinetic characterization of weathering, isotope tracing of
weathering processes, laboratory experiments and field measurements.
Weathering systems are an essential clue to the understanding
of Earth surface processes. Global biogeochemical cycles are controlled
by weathering reactions, which themselves bear a strong influence
on global climate. In order to understand present global change,
it is necessary to look also at the extreme paleoclimatic border
limits of the Earth system. On the multimillion-year scale, weathering
processes are a decisive factor controlling atmospheric CO2. Moreover, mineral resources are often hidden
by thick weathering mantles in many parts of the world. In order
to discover concealed ore deposits, it is essential to understand
the three-dimensional evolution of a landscape by integrating
geomorphic, hydrologic, geological and biogeochemical processes
and concepts.
In our changing world, anthropogenic activities also play an important
role in weathering precesses. Particularly, acid precipitation
due to anthropogenic emission of sulfur and nitrogen in the atmosphere
by combustion of fosil fuels has a large impact on the soil-vegetation
system, on the rock weathering and on the surface water quality.
Moreover,it is also a source of deterioration of lithic building
materials, including those used in monuments and art works. Other
anthropogenic perturbations also have an impact on weathering
processes and during the symposium, some results were also presented
on the impact of mining activities on environmental pollution
and of nitrogen fertilizers on weathering precesses.
This special issue of Chemical Geology groups together 12 papers
of which 10 have ben selected from among the Symposium No. 63
presentations, one has been selected from Symposium No. 77,
Anthropogenic Contaminants in Aquatic and Sedimentary Environments,
and another has been offered independently by the authors.
...』