Doctoral Dissertation Research in Geography and Regional Science

地貌过程、气候、土壤和生物群在大范围内共同作用，创造了观测到的自然景观。在微观尺度上，风化作用是地貌系统的一部分，风化作用研究的一个重要目标是建立解释和预测地球表面化学反应速率的模型。石英是最常见的陆生矿物之一，被认为是最耐化学风化的矿物之一。石英的风化过程不像其他更耐候性的材料那样被很好地理解。该项目旨在了解石英脱晶这一微风化现象如何受到气候、生物群、地球化学和时间的影响。它还将确定石英脱晶的化学特征，这可能对古环境研究有用。该项目将从一个恒定的地貌环境和时间，但有不同的气候和植被取样石英。现场分析结合实验室微量分析技术将用于量化石英脱晶的物理和化学特性。这些特征将通过统计检验与时间、温度、湿度、地球化学环境、生物化学环境、地貌、尺度等进行比较。这项研究将定义石英脱晶的元素，它将有助于更好地理解风化过程的整体。这一点很重要，因为风化过程与地貌过程、土壤发育和沉积学密切相关。这一发现也应该放大石英在地质年代学、古环境研究和考古学中的重要性。

Geomorphic processes, climate, soils, and biota work on a large scale to create the observed physical landscape. At a microscale, weathering contributes as part of the geomorphic system, and an important objective of weathering research is the development of models that explain and predict rates of chemical reactions at the earth's surface. Quartz is among the most common of terrestrial minerals, and it is regarded as one of the most resistant to chemical weathering. The processes of quartz weathering is not as well understood as those associated with other, more weatherable materials. This project seeks to understand how quartz decrystallization, a micro-weathering phenomenon, is influenced by climate, biota, geochemistry, and time. It will also determine a chemical signature for quartz decrystallization that may be useful for paleo-environmental research. The project will sample quartz from a constant geomorphic environment and time, but with varying climate and vegetation. Field analysis combined with laboratory microanalytical techniques will be used to quantify the physical and chemical characteristics of quartz decrystallization. These characteristics will be compared with time, temperature, moisture, geochemical environment, biochemical environment, geomorphology, and scale by means of statistical tests. This research will define the elements of quartz decrystallization, and it will contribute to a greater understanding of weathering processes as a whole. This is important because weathering processes are closely connected to geomorphic processes, soil development, and sedimentology. The findings should also amplify the importance of quartz in geochronology, paleo-environmental research, and archaeology.