Denudation rates for the southern Drakensberg escarpment, SE Africa, derived from in-situ-produced cosmogenic 36Cl: Initial results

A. Fleming; M. A. Summerfield; J. O. Stone; L. K. Fifield; R. G. Cresswell

doi:10.1144/gsjgs.156.2.0209

Denudation rates for the southern Drakensberg escarpment, SE Africa, derived from in-situ-produced cosmogenic ³⁶Cl: Initial results

A. Fleming^*, M. A. Summerfield, J. O. Stone, L. K. Fifield, R. G. Cresswell

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

124 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Cosmogenic ³⁶Cl concentrations in basalt samples from the Drakensberg escarpment on the SE African passive margin give quantitative estimates of denudation and scarp retreat rates. Over the 10⁴-10⁶ year timespan addressed by these data, the calculated escarpment retreat rate has been 50-95 m Ma^-1 and the average summit denudation rate 6 m Ma^-1. The scarp retreat rate is an order of magnitude less than previously suggested. The rate of summit lowering is sufficient to prevent the long-term intact survival of erosion cycle surfaces formed in the Mesozoic that were previously inferred for this region.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	209-212
Number of pages	4
Journal	Journal of the Geological Society
Volume	156
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1144/gsjgs.156.2.0209
Publication status	Published - Mar 1999

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title = "Denudation rates for the southern Drakensberg escarpment, SE Africa, derived from in-situ-produced cosmogenic 36Cl: Initial results",

abstract = "Cosmogenic 36Cl concentrations in basalt samples from the Drakensberg escarpment on the SE African passive margin give quantitative estimates of denudation and scarp retreat rates. Over the 104-106 year timespan addressed by these data, the calculated escarpment retreat rate has been 50-95 m Ma-1 and the average summit denudation rate 6 m Ma-1. The scarp retreat rate is an order of magnitude less than previously suggested. The rate of summit lowering is sufficient to prevent the long-term intact survival of erosion cycle surfaces formed in the Mesozoic that were previously inferred for this region.",

keywords = "Cosmogenic isotopes, Denudation, Landscapes, SE Africa, Scarps",

author = "A. Fleming and Summerfield, {M. A.} and Stone, {J. O.} and Fifield, {L. K.} and Cresswell, {R. G.}",

year = "1999",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1144/gsjgs.156.2.0209",

language = "English",

volume = "156",

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journal = "Journal of the Geological Society",

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T1 - Denudation rates for the southern Drakensberg escarpment, SE Africa, derived from in-situ-produced cosmogenic 36Cl

T2 - Initial results

AU - Fleming, A.

AU - Summerfield, M. A.

AU - Stone, J. O.

AU - Fifield, L. K.

AU - Cresswell, R. G.

PY - 1999/3

Y1 - 1999/3

N2 - Cosmogenic 36Cl concentrations in basalt samples from the Drakensberg escarpment on the SE African passive margin give quantitative estimates of denudation and scarp retreat rates. Over the 104-106 year timespan addressed by these data, the calculated escarpment retreat rate has been 50-95 m Ma-1 and the average summit denudation rate 6 m Ma-1. The scarp retreat rate is an order of magnitude less than previously suggested. The rate of summit lowering is sufficient to prevent the long-term intact survival of erosion cycle surfaces formed in the Mesozoic that were previously inferred for this region.

AB - Cosmogenic 36Cl concentrations in basalt samples from the Drakensberg escarpment on the SE African passive margin give quantitative estimates of denudation and scarp retreat rates. Over the 104-106 year timespan addressed by these data, the calculated escarpment retreat rate has been 50-95 m Ma-1 and the average summit denudation rate 6 m Ma-1. The scarp retreat rate is an order of magnitude less than previously suggested. The rate of summit lowering is sufficient to prevent the long-term intact survival of erosion cycle surfaces formed in the Mesozoic that were previously inferred for this region.

KW - Cosmogenic isotopes

KW - Denudation

KW - Landscapes

KW - SE Africa

KW - Scarps

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DO - 10.1144/gsjgs.156.2.0209

M3 - Article

SN - 0016-7649

VL - 156

SP - 209

EP - 212

JO - Journal of the Geological Society

JF - Journal of the Geological Society

IS - 2

ER -

Denudation rates for the southern Drakensberg escarpment, SE Africa, derived from in-situ-produced cosmogenic ³⁶Cl: Initial results

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