The concept of micro- to mesoscale sandstone morphofacies in the temperate zone

The project seeks a new approach to the study of weathering patterns on siliciclastic sediments. Various morphofacies typical for humid temperate climate will be outlined based on the presence of characteristic micro- and mesoforms of sandstone relief. Further on, their relationship to outcrop position, architecture and tectonic deformation of the sandstone body, grain-size parameters, cement composition, porosity and mechanical properties of sandstone will be studied. Special attention will be given to the degree of silica dissolution and to salt weathering. Interrelationships between such parameters and the resulting morphofacies will open way towards a genetic classification of micro- and mesoforms of sandstone relief, and contribute to the understanding of the sedimentary microrelief on Mars. The project will benefit from outcrop documentation in the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin and elsewhere in Europe, petrographic study, electron microscopy and microanalysis, and laboratory tests.