Authigenic clay mineral formation by reverse weathering: Impact on global climate and heavy metal cycling in large water bodies

Abstract: Weathering of continental silicate rock consumes  and supply cation to oceans and thereby modulating both climate and sea water chemistry (Raymo et. al., 1988). A series of secondary reactions dominate the transport of these cation from the weathering site to their point of release in oceans. These secondary reactions which lead to the formation of authigenic clay minerals thus acts as a controller of cation flux to the oceans (Misra and Froelich, 2012). The neoformed clays within the fluvial and oceanic system act as a sink for the soluble cation, thus playing a significant role in the global riverine and oceanic elemental budgets. The release of  due to clay mineral formation is in contrast to silicate weathering that acts as a net sink of  and is hence, termed Reverse weathering (Mackenzie and Garrels, 1966). Reverse weathering not only plays a critical role in the geochemical cycling of elements it also modulates the global carbon cycle. In this seminar I am going to discuss some aspects of reverse weathering and the ways to study the same in Indian riverine systems where in recent years heavy metal concentration have been on the rise because of anthropogenic activity.

Date/Time
Date(s) - 07/07/2019
12:00 am - 4:00 pm