Department of Geography, University of Canterbury, PhD

Physical rock weathering processes

A number of studies have identified the availability of moisture as being the most important factor in both defining which weathering process may operate and how effective these processes may be. However, there has been no systematic study of how increasing availability of moisture may influence the type of weathering process that is operating, nor any attempt to quantify changes in weathering rates along such a gradient.

The primary objective of this research is to improve our understanding of physical rock weathering processes, and their effectiveness, along a moisture gradient on the Victoria Land Coast, Antarctica.

Publications

Elliott, C. Surface moisture availability and rock weathering in cold climates. New Zealand Geographer 60(1): 44-51, 2003.

Elliott, C. Rock weathering processes in Antarctica: a comparison of some recent studies with those from the Northern Hemisphere. New Zealand Geographer 59(1): 50-60, 2003.

Elliott, C. Modeling the influence of moisture variations on physical rock weathering processes in Antarctica: proposed investigations and preliminary results. in Extended abstracts 8th International Conference on Permafrost, Zurich, Switzerland, July 2003. Eds Haeberli, W and Brandova, D. pp 31-32. 2003.

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