K isotopes trace temporal silicate weathering intensity.

ABSTRACT: Silicate weathering alters the biogeochemical compositions of the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere, and thereby regulates both nutrient cycling and habitable temperatures on Earth, but tracing silicate weathering effectively remains a challenge. Potassium (K) isotopes have been proposed as a tracer of silicate weathering intensity spatially, but there is a significant gap in how and why K isotopes trace silicate weathering temporally. Here we investigate seasonal variations in dissolved K isotopes in the middle Yellow River, which drains a large area of homogeneous loess that represents the average geochemical composition of the upper continental crust, and experiences significant climatic seasonality driven by the East Asian monsoon. We find that K isotopes show strong seasonality

SUBMITTER: Gou LF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12796489 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature