Abstract
Desert varnish is a thin coating of manganese, iron, clays and trace elements on rock surfaces, best developed on the oldest and most stable of those surfaces. A surface microbial community performs the crucial task of concentrating the manganese in the process of varnish formation which may take up to 10 000 years. A technique is now being developed to accurately date the ages of samples of varnish (by examining the ratio of leachable to non-leachable elements), opening the way for studies on past atmospheric conditions, desert landforms and anthropology. - N.Pinder
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 3-5 |
| Number of pages | 3 |
| Journal | Environment Southwest |
| Volume | 497 |
| State | Published - Jan 1 1982 |
| Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Environmental Science
- General Earth and Planetary Sciences