Choice 评论

All earth scientists participating in fieldwork see the effects of various weathering processes. The primary concepts of weathering are at first deceptively simple: air, life, water, and various other chemicals react with rocks to break them down into smaller bits. Skimming through this book, though, reveals that the study of weathering is a complex discipline at the interface of chemistry, physics, biology, and geology. Bland and Rolls use the first third of the book to thoroughly (and lucidly) develop physical and chemical concepts. The remainder of the book is the application of these principles to rock weathering. Even what once appeared to be the simplest weathering processes, such as freeze-thaw splitting of rocks, turn out to be far more complex (and interesting). The discussions of weathering phenomena are supported by numerous diagrams and formulas, along with a comprehensive glossary. The book could use at least a few photographs of weathering results, especially considering its price, but there is nevertheless no other book on the topic as timely and comprehensive. Recommended for all libraries with earth science collections. Undergraduate and graduate students; faculty; professionals; two-year technical program students. M. A. Wilson College of Wooster