Cálculo de la (micro)tasa de alteración en calcarenitas expuestas en clima semiárido costero
- Javier Martínez Martínez 1
- Édgar Berrezueta 2
- Héctor Aguilera 3
- Nicoletta Fusi 4
- Miguel Gómez-Heras 5
- 1 CN Instituto Geológico y Minero de España (CN IGME-CSIC). Tres Cantos
- 2 CN Instituto Geológico y Minero de España (CN IGME-CSIC). Oviedo
- 3 CN Instituto Geológico y Minero de España (CN IGME-CSIC). Madrid
- 4 University of Milano-Bicocca. Milán
- 5 Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco. Madrid
ISSN: 0213-683X
Année de publication: 2023
Número: 74
Pages: 27-30
Type: Article
D'autres publications dans: Geogaceta
Résumé
This paper proposes a new methodology to calculate weathering rates of rocks after brief periods of direct exposure to the environment. The methodology bases on X-Ray microtomography and Digital Image Analysis. Two porous carbonate rocks have been studied: a calcarenite and a calcirrudite with an average porosity of 20%. They were exposed for one year to a coastal semiarid Mediterranean climate (Nueva Tabarca, Alicante; SE of Spain). The obtained microrates indicate a higher weathering rate in calcirrudite (18.75 mm/year) than in calcarenite (9.13 mm/year). This variation is justified by the differences in the porous system of each rock and its influence on the effectiveness of the usual alteration processes acting on rocks exposed to coastal semiarid climates. In addition, obtained results validate the proposed methodology, which constitutes an important advance in the study of the weathering rates of materials. It allows a quick and quantitative way to analyse the vulnerability of rocks to specific exposure environments.