Tag Archives: weathering

Rangitoto Island, New Zealand

Posted on 20 August 2009 by Mika

Rangitoto, New Zealand is the youngest and largest volcano in the Auckland Volcanic Field. With a final eruption at least 600 years ago, the volcanic island is slowly weathering into soil. The rate of weathering is increased both by rainfall-watered … Continue reading →

More Galleries | Leave a comment

Dual-Scale Weathering

Posted on 19 August 2009 by Mika

The landscape of rounded boulders at Joshua Tree Park, California, are the legacy of weathered bedrock. As overlaying material is eroded away, the release in pressure leads to exfoliation — shedding the crust of weathered rock. On a much shorter … Continue reading →

More Galleries | Leave a comment

Basalt Cobbles & Onion Skin Weathering

Posted on 16 August 2009 by Mika

At Settlement Point east of Melbourne, extensive basalts and tuffs of the Older Volcanics form the cliffs and shore platforms. The spherical weathering occurs as water penetrates along joints and fractures, decaying the rock layer by layer like onion skin. … Continue reading →

Posted in Geoscience | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Squeaky Sand on the Friendly Beach

Posted on 15 August 2009 by Mika

The white sands of Friendly Beach, Tasmania, Tasmania, squeak under every step. The sand is nearly pure silica, originating in quartz-baring rocks, eroded into sand, compacted into sandstone, and re-eroded into fine, smooth, rounded grains. The black rock shore platforms … Continue reading →

More Galleries | 1 Comment