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The feedback between climate and weathering

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2018

S. R. Gislason ,
E. H. Oelkers ,
E. S. Eiriksdottir ,
M. I. Kardjilov ,
G. Gisladottir ,
B. Sigfusson ,
A. Snorrason ,
S. Elefsen ,
J. Hardardottir  and
P. Torssander
...Show all authors
S. R. Gislason*
Affiliation:
Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland, Sturlugata 7, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
E. H. Oelkers
Affiliation:
Géochimie et Biogéochimie Experimentale —LMTG/Université Paul Sabatier, 14 rue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France
E. S. Eiriksdottir
Affiliation:
Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland, Sturlugata 7, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
M. I. Kardjilov
Affiliation:
Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland, Sturlugata 7, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
G. Gisladottir
Affiliation:
Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland, Sturlugata 7, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
B. Sigfusson
Affiliation:
Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland, Sturlugata 7, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
A. Snorrason
Affiliation:
National Energy Authority, Grensásvegi 9, 108 Reykjavík, Iceland
S. Elefsen
Affiliation:
National Energy Authority, Grensásvegi 9, 108 Reykjavík, Iceland
J. Hardardottir
Affiliation:
National Energy Authority, Grensásvegi 9, 108 Reykjavík, Iceland
P. Torssander
Affiliation:
Department of Geology and Geochemistry, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
N. Oskarsson
Affiliation:
Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland, Sturlugata 7, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
*
*E-mail: sigrg@raunvis.hi.is
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Abstract

Long-term climate moderation is commonly attributed to chemical weathering; the greater the temperature and precipitation the faster the weathering rate. To test this widely-held hypothesis, we performed a field study and determined the weathering rates of eight nearly pristine north-east Iceland river catchments with varying glacial cover over 44 y. Statistically significant linear positive correlations were found between mean annual temperature and chemical weathering in all eight catchments and between mean annual temperature and mechanical weathering and runoff in seven of the eight catchments. The runoff, mechanical weathering flux, and chemical weathering fluxes in these catchments are found to increase from 6 to 16%, 8 to 30%, and 4 to 14%, respectively, depending on the catchment for each degree of temperature increase. Positive correlations were found between time and mechanical and chemical weathering for all catchments. In summary, these results demonstrate a significant feedback between climate and Earth surface weathering, and suggest that this weathering rate is currently increasing with time due to global warming.

Keywords

climate moderationchemical weatheringCO2 fixationglobal carbon cycle
Type
Research Article
Information
Mineralogical Magazine , Volume 72 , Issue 1 , February 2008 , pp. 317 - 320
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2008

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