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Experimental frost and salt weathering of chalk—I
Author(s) -
Jerwood L. C.,
Robinson D. A.,
Williams R. B. G.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
earth surface processes and landforms
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.294
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1096-9837
pISSN - 0197-9337
DOI - 10.1002/esp.3290150704
Subject(s) - weathering , frost (temperature) , sodium , distilled water , salt (chemistry) , geology , mineralogy , chemistry , chromatography , geochemistry , geomorphology , organic chemistry
To try to resolve the conflicts surrounding the influence of salts on frost weathering, chalk cubes were immersed, separately, in solutions of sodium chloride, sodium sulphate, and magnesium sulphate at concentrations of 5·5 per cent and 12·5 per cent, in a mixed solution of sodium chloride and sodium sulphate, and in distilled water. The cubes were subjected to six freeze‐thaw cycles with temperatures ranging from either +15 to — 10°C or + 15 to — 30°C. The results confirm that frost weathering can be enhanced by the presence of certain salts, but the degree of enhancement depends both on the concentration and type of salt and on the intensity of the freeze‐thaw regime. Some, but not all, of the results can be explained by the phase changes that occur during the freezing of the salt solutions.