Evaluating the effects of climate on weathering processes of rocks based on Peltier models in Kermanshah province

Abstract

Weathering is a result of physical, chemical and biological factors, all of which affect the rocks but do not cause Material Handling. The existence of pores and crevices and cracks in the rocks expose the rocks to physical and chemical attack, gradual wracking and being weathered. This study has been based on Louis Peltier’s models in which two mean annual temperature and precipitation variables are used. Peltier identified seven models using these two variables which can describe different types of weathering phenomena. Among these models, two models related to weathering regimes and morphogenetic regimes were evaluated in case of Kermanshah province and the regimes related to each station were determined from the related diagrams. Climate data such as mean annual temperature and precipitation and eight synoptic stations which had appropriate data and statistical length were taken from meteorological organization and then were recorded in a database in GIS environment for studying and zoning of the weathering status and geomorphological regions in Kermanshah. Then, the regimes relating to each station were determined from Peltier models after evaluation of temperature and precipitation processes in the study area which were recorded in the database after giving weighted value to them and then the related maps were generated in ARC map environment. The obtained results showed that most parts of Kermanshah province are semi-arid regions. Chemical weathering along with glacial action to moderate chemical weathering take place in in Kermanshah province in terms of weathering status.

Keywords: Weathering regimes, Peltier model, morphogenetic regions, Kermanshah.