Coastal salt weathering of Quaternary Eolianite (Bozcaada Island) and Eocene sandstone (Gelibolu Peninsula): The contribution of microanalytical data

Abstract

In this paper, factors controlling the diverse dissolution of Quaternary eolianite and Eocene sandstone in two different coastal environments in northwest Turkey were investigated by means of Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX) coupled with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Diffractometry(XRD), X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF) analyses and thin section interpretations. With regard to governing agents of the weathering process, petrographic attributes, salt crystallization, and biological impacts appear to be important. The weathered forms were found to be distinctive in size, shape and the degree of weathering owing to different mineral compositions of the host rocks and combined effects of sodium chloride (halite) and calcium sulphide (gypsum) crystallisation during the dry summer period when evaporation conditions dominate.