Landscape dynamics, climate and tectonics:
Dr. Alex Whittaker, Senior Lecturer in Tectonics, Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College.
Thursday 3rd March, 7.30 p.m.
BRLSI, 16 Queen Square, Bath
BRLSI, 16 Queen Square, Bath
Both tectonics and climate profoundly influence the erosional-depositional processes that shape the Earth’s surface. Moreover, the magnitude, locus and characteristics of sediment export from catchments to basins play a fundamental role in determining depositional stratigraphy. While progress has been made in understanding the response of landscape systems to tectonics, the extent to which the Earth’s surface is either sensitive, or buffered, to rapid climate change remains extremely contentious.
This talk examines how geomorphic, sedimentological and numerical modelling techniques can be used to constrain how the earth surface processes are influenced by tectono-climatic boundary conditions, and how they govern the production of stratigraphy. Field examples from California and the Mediterranean explore the extent to which we can now quantitatively “invert” stratigraphy for tectonic or climatic forcing, and highlight some of the problems that still remain.
Bath Geological Society - everyone welcome, £4 for visitors - free refreshments
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