ROCK SURFACE ROUGHNESS AS AN INDICATOR OF DEGREE OF ROCK SURFACE WEATHERING

Rock surface weathering often leads to increased rock surface roughness, but roughness has proved difficult to quantify. Several instruments are available for micro-mapping and recording rock surface profiles, but the most appropriate for most purposes is the simple profile gauge. Short profiles can be recorded quickly and accurately. A range of roughness indices has been proposed in other areas of geomorphology and their efficacy as measures of roughness at scales of interest in studies of weathering is assessed. Some are too complex or labour-intensive and others are too sensitive to the scale of roughness to provide reliable measures of magnitude. The most appropriate indicator of both the scale and magnitude of roughness is the standard deviation of the differences between height values at a range of set horizontal intervals along a profile (the ‘deviogram’). Varying the measurement interval records roughness at different scales. A regression approach (root-mean-square roughness) provides a reliable measure of the magnitude of roughness at the maximum scale present. Three case studies confirm the efficacy of these approaches to studies of weathering of different rocks in different environments. Software is supplied which automates the calculation of roughness indices from gauge profiles.     

A digital surface roughness meter

Geomorphological studies often require precise devices to measure surface roughness or variations with high precision and good repeatability. A digital measurement device is described, which provides these features and can be linked to a small, light and portable recorder and processor. Such an arrangement allows rapid, accurate data recording by a single operator and can be used in the laboratory or field. With interchangeable measurement rods the vertical range of the instrument is 150 mm, with an actual measured range of 30 mm per rod. The potential accuracy is 0·001 mm with an operating temperature range of+5 to +40°C. Its light weight, relatively low cost and precision make it a useful measuring device which can be adapted for many tasks simply by modification of the stand.     

Segmentation of soil roughness profiles

A robust and flexible algorithm to study spatial series like soil roughness profile has been introduced. It avoids using classic spectral analysis, considers the profile first and foremost as non-stationary and makes it possible to identify the separate domains inside the profile where chosen statistical parameters and roughness indexes have their own value. The method analyses a roughness profile considering it as an assemblage of several entities that may differ in terms of statistical properties and length, without establishing constraints as to number and extension. The method derives the variability of statistical and roughness properties along the profile and extracts the possible components - random and oriented - detectable inside the sample. Some examples of application illustrate the possibility offered by the method to study real roughness profiles recorded in the field by a portable laser microprofilometer. The procedure proposed allows the investigation of local roughness properties with varying degrees of accuracy and should be useful to monitor the differential evolution of roughness on patterned soil surface, increasing the overall information content. A general definition of ‘ordered roughness’ is introduced. The definition proposed seems more suited to current techniques for the numerical treatment of digital profiles and for the existing physical relationships between the scale of observation of roughness and the scale of the process investigated (hydraulic resistance, water storage in depressions). Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Coupling two radar backscattering models to assess soil roughness and surface water content at farm scale

Abstract

Remote sensing techniques are useful for agro-hydrological monitoring at the farm scale because the availability of spatially and temporally distributed data improves agricultural models for irrigation and crop yield optimization under water scarcity conditions. This research focuses on the surface water content retrieval using active microwave data. Two semi-empirical models were chosen as these showed the best performances in simulating cross and co-polarized backscatter. Thus, these models were coupled to obtain reliable assessments of both soil water content and soil roughness. The use of the coupled model enables one to avoid using roughness measured in situ. Remote sensing images and in situ data were collected between April and July 2006 within the European Space Agency-funded project AgriSAR 2006. The images data set includes L-band in HH, VV and VH polarizations acquired from the airborne E-SAR sensor, operated by the German Aerospace Centre. Results were validated using in situ soil water content and roughness measurements. The results show that reliable assessment of both soil roughness (r ² up to ?0.8) and soil water content (r ² ? 0.9) can be retrieved in fields characterized by low fractional coverage.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor C. Onof

Citation Capodici, F., Maltese, A., Ciraolo, G., La Loggia, G., and D’Urso, G., 2013. Coupling two radar backscattering models to assess soil roughness and surface water content at the farm scale. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (8), 1677–1689.     

Rock surface millimetre‐scale roughness and weathering of supratidal Mallorcan carbonate coasts (Balearic Islands)

Quantitative data on rock surface millimetre‐scale roughness are presented concerning the splash and spray geomorphologic domains of two coastal profiles developed on Mediterranean carbonate rocks. Differences of the roughness characteristics are attributed to rock properties, weathering agents and bioerosion. In the splash zone, roughness is related to sparsely distributed patterns of bioerosion, salt weathering and wave attack. In the spray zone, smooth surfaces seem to be the response to the solution processes that predominate, exerting a more homogenous influence on rock surface evolution. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Two‐hourly surface change on supra‐tidal rock (Marengo,Victoria, Australia)

A traversing micro‐erosion meter was used to measure rock surface micro‐topography over 40 cm² on a supra‐tidal cliff face from early morning to late evening in late spring. From 06:00 hours to 22:00 hours the relative heights of 188 coordinates were obtained using the meter at 2‐hour intervals, resulting in a data set of 1607 readings. Monitoring shows that rock surfaces are dynamic entities, with significant rise and fall relative to the first measurement at shorter timescales than previously reported. The maximum positive rise between readings was 0·261 mm and lowering was 0·126 mm. The pattern of change did not relate as expected to environmental variables such as temperature or insolation. Rather, the surface showed greater surface change in the early morning and late afternoon. It is hypothesized that this pattern relates to the expansion and contraction of lichen thalli as moisture is absorbed during higher humidity in the morning and late afternoon. The implications of these results for weathering studies are considered. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rates of rock surface lowering,Princess Elizabeth land,Eastern Antarctica

A series of micro-erosion-meter sites on different rock types and in differing wind regimes was established and re-read after four years on two sites in the Larsemann and Vestfold Hills. These two oases in Eastern Antarctica are subjected to both wind abrasion and salt wedging. The measurements displayed bimodal distributions, indicating that both abrasion and single-grain detachment could be observed. Surface lowering rates of 0·015 and 0·022 mm a^?1 were demonstrated for the Larsemann and Vestfold Hills, respectively.     

The effect of roughness configuration on velocity profiles in an artificial channel

In order to determine the effect of bed roughness on velocity distribution, we used seven different configurations of bed roughness, with 16 test runs of varying discharge and slope for each configuration. For each run, one-dimensional velocity profiles were measured at 1 cm vertical increments over the crest of the roughness element, and at intervals of 4·25 cm downstream. Results indicate that velocity profile shape remains fairly constant for a given slope and roughness configuration as discharge increases. As slope increases, the profiles become less linear, with a much larger near-bed velocity gradient and a more pronounced velocity peak close to 0·6 flow depth at the measurement point immediately downstream from the roughness element. The zone of large near-bed velocity gradients increases in both length and depth as roughness concentration decreases, up to a length/height ratio of about 9, at which point maximum flow resistance occurs. Longitudinal roughness elements do not create nearly as much flow resistance as do transverse elements. Rates of velocity increase suggest that roughness elements spaced at a length/height ratio of about 9 are most effective at creating flow resistance over a range of discharges in channels with steeper slopes. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Short‐term rock surface expansion and contraction in the intertidal zone

Transverse micro‐erosion meter (TMEM) stations were installed in rock slabs from shore platforms in eastern Canada. The slabs were put into artificial sea water for 1, 6 or 11 hours, representing high, mid‐ and low tidal areas, respectively. The TMEMs were used to record changes in surface elevation as the rocks dried during the remainder of the 12 h of a semi‐diurnal tidal cycle. A similar technique was used on the same rock types at intertidal TMEM stations in the field, as the rocks dried during low tide. Argillite and basalt surface contraction was from 0 to 0·04 mm: there was little surface expansion. Sandstones contracted by up to 0·03 mm in the field, but there was almost no contraction in the laboratory. Argillite and basalt contraction tended to be greatest in the upper intertidal zone, and to increase with rates of longer‐term surface downwearing, but there was little relationship with rock hardness or air temperature and humidity. Changes in elevation at the same points at TMEM stations in the laboratory and field were quite consistent from one tidal cycle to the next, but there were considerable variations within single tidal cycles between different points within each station. The data suggest that contraction within the elevational zone that is normally submerged twice a day by the tides is by alternate wetting and drying. Short‐term changes in elevation are generally low compared with annual rates of downwearing owing to erosion, but they may generate stresses that contribute to rock breakdown. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Contribution of surface roughness to simulations of historical deforestation

Surface roughness which partitions surface net radiation into energy fluxes is a key parameter for estimation of biosphere–atmosphere interactions and climate variability. An earth system model of intermediate complexity (EMIC), MPM-2, is used to derive the impact of surface roughness on climate from simulations of historical land cover change effects. The direct change in surface roughness leads to a global surface warming of 0.08 °C through altering the turbulence in the boundary layer. The regional temperature response to surface roughness associated deforestation is very strong at northern mid-latitudes with a most prominent warming of 0.72 °C around 50°N in the Eurasia continent during summer. They can be explained mainly as direct and indirect consequences of decreases in surface albedo and increases in precipitation in response to deforestation, although there are a few significant changes in precipitation. There is also a prominent warming of 0.25 °C around 40°N in the North American continent. This study indicates that land surface roughness plays a significant role which is comparable with the whole land conversion effect in climate change. Therefore, further investigation of roughness–climate relationship is needed to incorporate these aspects.     

Integrating structure-from-motion photogrammetry into rock weathering field methodologies

Despite recent rapid advances in the field of structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry, the use of high-resolution data to investigate small-scale processes is a relatively underdeveloped field. In particular, rock weathering is rarely investigated using this suite of techniques. This research uses a combination of traditional non-destructive rock weathering measurement techniques (rock surface hardness) and SfM to map deterioration and loss of cohesion of the surface using three-dimensional data. The results are used to interpret weathering behaviour across two different lithologies present on the site, namely shale and limestone. This new approach is tested on seven sites in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, where active weathering of a rock surface was measured after 13 years of exposure to extreme temperature regimes and snow cover. The surface loss was quantified with SfM and combined with rock surface hardness measurement distributions extrapolated in geographic information system (GIS). The combined results are used here to quantify the difference in response of both lithologies to these extreme temperatures. This research demonstrates the potential for further integration of SfM in rock weathering research and other small-scale geomorphological investigations, in particular in difficult field conditions where portability of field equipment is paramount. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The schmidt hammer,weathering and rock surface roughness

Measures of the differential relief of adjacent feldspar and pyroxene grains provide the first clear negative correlation of Schmidt hammer rebound (R-) values and degree of weathering. However, weathering and roughness are intimately related, so the latter cannot be seen simply as a source of error limiting the utility of the Schmidt hammer. Only where surfaces had similar textures prior to weathering can R-values be compared directly. Even where surface texture is well controlled, differences in R-values should be viewed critically rather than assigned indiscriminately to differences in degree of weathering.     

Evaluation of Terrestrial Laser Scanner and Structure from Motion photogrammetry techniques for quantifying soil surface roughness parameters over agricultural soils

The surface roughness of agricultural soils is mainly related to the type of tillage performed, typically consisting of oriented and random components. Traditionally, soil surface roughness (SSR) characterization has been difficult due to its high spatial variability and the sensitivity of roughness parameters to the characteristics of the instruments, including its measurement scale. Recent advances in surveying have greatly improved the spatial resolution, extent, and availability of surface elevation datasets. However, it is still unknown how new roughness measurements relates with the conventional roughness measurements such as 2D profiles acquired by laser profilometers. The objective of this study was to evaluate the suitability of Terrestrial Laser Scanner (TLS) and Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry techniques for quantifying SSR over different agricultural soils. With this aim, an experiment was carried out in three plots (5 × 5 m) representing different roughness conditions, where TLS and SfM photogrammetry measurements were co-registered with 2D profiles obtained using a laser profilometer. Differences between new and conventional roughness measurement techniques were evaluated visually and quantitatively using regression analysis and comparing the values of six different roughness parameters. TLS and SfM photogrammetry measurements were further compared by evaluating multi-directional roughness parameters and analyzing corresponding Digital Elevation Models. The results obtained demonstrate the ability of both TLS and SfM photogrammetry techniques to measure 3D SSR over agricultural soils. However, profiles obtained with both techniques (especially SfM photogrammetry) showed a loss of high-frequency elevation information that affected the values of some parameters (e.g. initial slope of the autocorrelation function, peak frequency and tortuosity). Nevertheless, both TLS and SfM photogrammetry provide a massive amount of 3D information that enables a detailed analysis of surface roughness, which is relevant for multiple applications, such as those focused in hydrological and soil erosion processes and microwave scattering. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rates and patterns of bedrock denudation by coastal salt spray weathering: A seven-year record

Rapid surface lowering of bedrock is taking place in the supratidal zone by salt spray weathering. A seven-year run of data demonstrates a mean rate of lowering of 0·625 mm a^?1. Considerable variation exists in annual point lowering values within measurement sites, although between-site variation is not significant. Aggregate year to year variations in surface lowering are not significant. Spatial variation in individual point values may be compensated by temporal variation over an 11-year period. There is a marked summer maximum in surface lowering rate, and this is strongly correlated with monthly air temperature. Spatially and temporally episodic swelling of the rock surface is demonstrated. This does not correlate statistically with any available climatic variable and is deemed to be a real and largely stochastic phenomenon. It is interpreted as rock bursting at the granular scale due to haloclasty. The processes most likely to be responsible for the observed rapid denudation are crystallization and thermal expansion of halite, both of which are enhanced by high summer temperatures.     

Predicting ordinary kriging errors caused by surface roughness and dissectivity

The magnitude of kriging errors varies in accordance with the surface properties. The purpose of this paper is to determine the association of ordinary kriging (OK) estimated errors with the local variability of surface roughness, and to analyse the suitability of probabilistic models for predicting the magnitude of OK errors from surface parameters. This task includes determining the terrain parameters in order to explain the variation in the magnitude of OK errors. The results of this research indicate that the higher order regression models, with complex interaction terms, were able to explain 95 per cent of the variation in the OK error magnitude using the least number of predictors. In addition, the results underscore the importance of the role of the local diversity of relief properties in increasing or decreasing the magnitude of interpolation errors. The newly developed dissectivity parameters provide useful information for terrain analysis. Our study also provides constructive guides to understanding the local variation of interpolation errors and their dependence on surface dissectivity. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Experimental study on the effects of artificial bed roughness on turbidity currents over abrupt bed slope change

A series of experimental observations are presented in the current study to discuss the effects of artificial bed roughness on the turbidity current flowing in a rectangular channel with an abrupt change in bed slope.For this purpose,two different types of elements,sinusoidal and trapezoidal,with various heights and arrangements are considered as artificial bed roughness.A Vectrino velocity meter was used to measure the velocity and sediment concentration profiles.The effects of inlet sediment concentration on front velocity,body velocity,unit discharge,sediment concentration,and suspended load transport rate also were investigated.Accurate equations were developed for estimation of the velocity of a turbidity current over smooth and rough beds.The unexpected experimental results showed that unlike the effect of roughness height,a change in the roughness arrangement has no significant influence on the velocity of a turbidity current.Also,the effect of bed roughness on the front velocity of a denser current is more significant.     

Effect of bed surface roughness on longitudinal dispersion in artificial open channels

In several empirical and modelling studies on river hydraulics, dispersion was negatively correlated to surface roughness. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the influence of surface roughness on longitudinal dispersion under controlled conditions. In artificial flow channels with a length of 104 m, tracer experiments with variations in channel bed material were performed. By use of measured tracer breakthrough curves, average flow velocity, mean longitudinal dispersion, and mean longitudinal dispersivity were calculated. Longitudinal dispersion coefficients ranged from 0·018 m² s^?1 in channels with smooth bed surface up to 0·209 m² s^?1 in channels with coarse gravel as bed material. Longitudinal dispersion was linearly related to mean flow velocity. Accordingly, longitudinal dispersivities ranged between 0·152 ± 0·017 m in channels with smooth bed surface and 0·584 ± 0·015 m in identical channels with a coarse gravel substrate. Grain size and surface roughness of the channel bed were found to correlate positively to longitudinal dispersion. This finding contradicts several existing relations between surface roughness and dispersion. Future studies should include further variation in surface roughness to derive a better‐founded empirical equation forecasting longitudinal dispersion from surface roughness. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effect of relative surface roughness on scour dimensions at the edge of horizontal apron

Roughened horizontal aprons are bed covering scour countermeasures constructed downstream of stilling basins and other places where scour hole may develop. In these cases scour occurs at the edge of the apron which can lead to failure of the apron. In the present study, 24 experimental tests were carried out on four different aprons with (2, 5, 10 and 14.28 mm) roughness heights and two different bed material sizes of 0.8 and 1.4 mm under different flow conditions. The results indicated that as the roughness height of apron increases, a significant reduction in the scour depth occurs.     

Influence of surface roughness of dune bedforms on flow and turbulence characteristics

The current paper investigates the flow and turbulence characteristics over dune bedforms by means of laboratory experiments, where spatially dense and temporally high frequency velocity measurements were done. Although similar studies are available in the literature, the focus and novelty of the current study is to assess the influence of surface roughness of the dune bedforms on the nearbed flow. For direct comparison, two different surface roughness heights over idealized, fixed-shaped, high-angled dune bedforms were tested; one with a hydraulically-smooth surface, and the other with a fully-rough surface. Spatial variation of time-averaged flow as well as turbulence statistics were examined, which was complemented by streamline plots and spectral analyses. The results are interpreted from sediment entrainment and sediment transport points of view. The results show that increased dune surface roughness reduces the nearbed flow velocity, but increases the flow velocities at upper regions. The upward directed flow near the dune crests becomes stronger in the case of smooth surface, while the re-attachment point moves further downstream compared to the rough wall case. It is concluded that the roughness of the dune surface affects the nearbed flow and turbulence characteristics qualitatively and quantitatively, which is shown to have direct consequences on sediment entrainment characteristics.     

Preliminary study on weathering and pedogenesis of carbonate rock

South China is the largest continuous distribution area of carbonate rock in the world. The origin of the soils over the bedrock carbonate rock has long been a controversial topic. Here further exploration is made by taking five soil profiles as examples, which are developed over the bedrock dolomitite and limestone and morphologically located in upland in karst terrain in the central, west and north Guizhou as well as west Hunan, and proved to be the weathering profiles of carbonate rock by the research results of acid-dissolved extraction experiment of bedrock, mineralogy and trace element geochemistry. Field, mineralogical and trace element geochemical characteristics of weathering and pedogenesis for carbonate rock are discussed in detail. It is pointed out that weathering and pedogenesis of carbonate rock are important pedogenetic mechanisms for soil resources in karst area, providing a basis for further researches on the origin of soils widely overlying bedrock carbonate rocks in South China. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 498330003) and National Key Basic Research Project (Grant No. 95pre-39).