How are rates and expressed? of geological processes measured

The methods of measuring the rates of geological processes vary considerably. However, this book is not a methodological guide and, therefore, only the most important facts about these methods are mentioned. Expressing the rate of a process represents a considerable problem. Is it at all possible to find a unit which would be suitable for all geological processes, ranging from crustal movements to the motions of groundwaters? Efforts to introduce such a unit have and partly are still being made in the world literature. Fischer (1969)suggested 1 Bubnoff (B) which he defined as the rate of 1 m per Ma (i.e. 1 mm per ka or 1 ~tm [micrometre] per a). The unit was named after the well-known German geologist who advocated the measuring the absolute rates of geological processes. Other authors, such as Ericson (1969) suggested introducing megabubnoffs, microbubnoffs, etc. However, Bubnoffs did not become particulartly popular and we do not intend to propagate them either. Some authors, like Berg and Gaugi (1971), were against the introduction of the units in no uncertain terms and were sorry for Professor Bubnoff that his name had been misused for such dubious purposes. In the present state of affairs, an attempt to introduce a unit for the rate of all geological processes would encounter grave difficulties. We, therefore, consider it best to express the rate of various processes in terms of the units established in the literature: the rate of sedimentation is most frequently given in cm per 1 000 a (smaller units), or in m per Ma (larger units); the rate of erosion in centimetres per 100 a; the rate of weathering also in centimetres per 100 a; the rate of crustal movements in millimetres per year; the rate of sea level changes also in millimetres per year; the rate of crystallization in centimetres per second; the rate of motion of groundwater in metres per year; the rate of slow mass movements in centimetres per year. In many cases, the rate of processes can be expressed in alternative ways, for example in terms of area or volume ( e.g., in measuring the rate of sedimentation or the rate of lava production).

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