Hydrologic Regulation of Chemical Weathering and the Geologic Carbon Cycle

When the silicate-rich rocks and minerals in Earth's interior are uplifted and exposed to Earth's surface, they dissolve. On a geologic time scale, this chemical weathering process ultimately creates a sink for CO2, thereby influencing global temperatures. Maher and Chamberlain (p. [1502][1], published online 13 March) developed a theoretical framework for understanding the fundamental relationship between weathering, tectonics, and the geological carbon cycle. The analysis suggests that temperature plays less of a role in regulating chemical weathering—which is dependent on the balance of tectonic uplift and erosion—than runoff on continents and the time that silicate minerals are exposed to fluids. Plateaus in weathering fluxes with increasing runoff or temperature allows for the stabilization of atmospheric CO2 despite high rates of uplift or erosion. [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.1250770