Colin E Thorn
Biographic Data
| ID | 1749579 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Colin E Thorn |
| GIVEN NAMES | Colin E |
| FAMILY NAME | Thorn |
| SIGNATURE | THORN C E |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 13 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 23 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 13 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1978 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2009 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Comparison of radiocarbon dating of buried paleosols using arbuscular mycorrhizae spores and bulk soil samples
Ten paleosols from four separate soil pits located in Kärkevagge, a glaciated trough in Swedish Lapland, were dated using radiocarbon. Each soil was dated using both conventional bulk soil organic material (SOM) and a pure sample of arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) fungal spores. The latter are produced by ubiquitous mycorrhizal fungi associated with the roots of many plant genera and may be viewed as a fossil material that has not interacted with any…
Whither, or Wither, Periglacial Weathering Studies
The paper is a scrutiny of periglacial weathering research at the scale of underpinning concepts. Recognizing the centrality of weathering to the development of all landscapes, including those that are periglacial, an attempt is made to identify focal questions within periglacial weathering studies. The primary question is what is different about periglacial weathering regimes if freeze-thaw or mechanical weathering is not the diagnostic characte…
Measuring the Extent of Chemical Weathering in Subarctic Alpine Environments
Chemical transformations associated with the weathering of bedrock to regolith, and ultimately to soils are poorly known despite the importance of these transformations in the generation of surface and groundwater solutes, the preparation of bedrock for erosion, the production of plant nutrients, and ultimately the formation of soil itself. This lack of knowledge is particularly apparent in polar and subpolar lands where traditionally chemical pr…
Permafrost and ground temperature regimes
The prevailing criteria in United States Department of Agriculture's Soil Taxonomy classification system place preeminent emphasis on temperature, especially upon the presence or absence of permafrost. Given that permafrost is a purely thermal concept, but one that must pertain for at least two consecutive years, there are substantial intellectual and pragmatic challenges for pedologists working in low arctic and alpine environments where permafr…
The Scientific Nature of Geomorphology
Theory, Observation, Hypotheses and Models in Geomorphology The Methodological Roles of Theory in Science Observation in Geomorphology Hypotheses and Geomorphology Reasoning Theoretical Models in Geomorphology Methodological Issues in Geomorphologic Inquiry The Role of Geohistorical Methods in Geomorphological Reasoning The Relevance of Flume Experiments in Fluvial Geomorphology Applied Mathematics and Physically-based Modelling in Geomorphology …
The Equilibrium Concept in Geomorphology
Equilibrium is a single word that embraces multiple concepts. The largely qualitative use of equilibrium within geomorphology has fostered imprecision and even outright error; as a result the term, for many, has degenerated to the status of a non-corrigible regulative principle. Although a few geomorphologists make precise use of equilibria terminology, their precision is invariably lost on the larger audience. Equilibrium is associated with forc…
No Dirge, No Philosophy, Just Practicality
Contemporary Philosophical Perspectives on Physical Geography with Emphasis on Geomorphology
PHYSICAL geographers traditionally have avoided introspective philosophical analysis of their scholarly activities. This situation contrasts sharply with the fierce philosophical debate among human geographers during the past fifteen years (Smith 1979; Walford and Gregory 1989; Johnston 1991). The primary purpose of this article is to persuade physical geographers of the virtue of engaging in philosophical introspection; however, it is important …
An Introduction to Theoretical Geomorphology
Glacio-Fluvial Sediment Transfer. An Alpine Perspective
The Nature of Geomorphology
Bedrock Microclimatology and the Freeze-Thaw Cycle
Analysis of a 58-day record in the Fall of 1972 from Niwot Ridge, Colorado Front Range reveals geomorphically significant differences in surficial bedrock temperatures between microsites and also between a meteorological screen and microsites. Bedrock surface daily maxima are extremely “flashy” and vary by 5 to 15°C between microsites and from 3 to 18°C between the screen and bedrock. Freeze-thaw cycle regimes exhibit freeze amplitudes and freque…
The Geomorphic Role of Snow∗
Snow is temporally and spatially at least as significant as glacial ice. It forms a geomorphic theme with characteristics of fundamental significance for the pattern of weathering and mass wasting in those regions supporting seasonal snow-cover. Contrasts between snowfall and rainfall regimes must be made in terms of geomorphically effective precipitation, and not in terms of gauge totals. In the absence of comprehensive magnitude and frequency p…
Contemporary Philosophical Perspectives on Physical Geography with Emphasis on Geomorphology
PHYSICAL geographers traditionally have avoided introspective philosophical analysis of their scholarly activities. This situation contrasts sharply with the fierce philosophical debate among human geographers during the past fifteen years (Smith 1979; Walford and Gregory 1989; Johnston 1991). The primary purpose of this article is to persuade physical geographers of the virtue of engaging in philosophical introspection; however, it is important …
The Equilibrium Concept in Geomorphology
Equilibrium is a single word that embraces multiple concepts. The largely qualitative use of equilibrium within geomorphology has fostered imprecision and even outright error; as a result the term, for many, has degenerated to the status of a non-corrigible regulative principle. Although a few geomorphologists make precise use of equilibria terminology, their precision is invariably lost on the larger audience. Equilibrium is associated with forc…
The Scientific Nature of Geomorphology
Theory, Observation, Hypotheses and Models in Geomorphology The Methodological Roles of Theory in Science Observation in Geomorphology Hypotheses and Geomorphology Reasoning Theoretical Models in Geomorphology Methodological Issues in Geomorphologic Inquiry The Role of Geohistorical Methods in Geomorphological Reasoning The Relevance of Flume Experiments in Fluvial Geomorphology Applied Mathematics and Physically-based Modelling in Geomorphology …
The Geomorphic Role of Snow∗
Snow is temporally and spatially at least as significant as glacial ice. It forms a geomorphic theme with characteristics of fundamental significance for the pattern of weathering and mass wasting in those regions supporting seasonal snow-cover. Contrasts between snowfall and rainfall regimes must be made in terms of geomorphically effective precipitation, and not in terms of gauge totals. In the absence of comprehensive magnitude and frequency p…
Bedrock Microclimatology and the Freeze-Thaw Cycle
Analysis of a 58-day record in the Fall of 1972 from Niwot Ridge, Colorado Front Range reveals geomorphically significant differences in surficial bedrock temperatures between microsites and also between a meteorological screen and microsites. Bedrock surface daily maxima are extremely “flashy” and vary by 5 to 15°C between microsites and from 3 to 18°C between the screen and bedrock. Freeze-thaw cycle regimes exhibit freeze amplitudes and freque…
The Geomorphic Role of Snow∗
Snow is temporally and spatially at least as significant as glacial ice. It forms a geomorphic theme with characteristics of fundamental significance for the pattern of weathering and mass wasting in those regions supporting seasonal snow-cover. Contrasts between snowfall and rainfall regimes must be made in terms of geomorphically effective precipitation, and not in terms of gauge totals. In the absence of comprehensive magnitude and frequency p…
Bedrock Microclimatology and the Freeze-Thaw Cycle
Analysis of a 58-day record in the Fall of 1972 from Niwot Ridge, Colorado Front Range reveals geomorphically significant differences in surficial bedrock temperatures between microsites and also between a meteorological screen and microsites. Bedrock surface daily maxima are extremely “flashy” and vary by 5 to 15°C between microsites and from 3 to 18°C between the screen and bedrock. Freeze-thaw cycle regimes exhibit freeze amplitudes and freque…
The Nature of Geomorphology
Glacio-Fluvial Sediment Transfer. An Alpine Perspective
An Introduction to Theoretical Geomorphology
The Equilibrium Concept in Geomorphology
Equilibrium is a single word that embraces multiple concepts. The largely qualitative use of equilibrium within geomorphology has fostered imprecision and even outright error; as a result the term, for many, has degenerated to the status of a non-corrigible regulative principle. Although a few geomorphologists make precise use of equilibria terminology, their precision is invariably lost on the larger audience. Equilibrium is associated with forc…
No Dirge, No Philosophy, Just Practicality
Contemporary Philosophical Perspectives on Physical Geography with Emphasis on Geomorphology
PHYSICAL geographers traditionally have avoided introspective philosophical analysis of their scholarly activities. This situation contrasts sharply with the fierce philosophical debate among human geographers during the past fifteen years (Smith 1979; Walford and Gregory 1989; Johnston 1991). The primary purpose of this article is to persuade physical geographers of the virtue of engaging in philosophical introspection; however, it is important …
The Scientific Nature of Geomorphology
Theory, Observation, Hypotheses and Models in Geomorphology The Methodological Roles of Theory in Science Observation in Geomorphology Hypotheses and Geomorphology Reasoning Theoretical Models in Geomorphology Methodological Issues in Geomorphologic Inquiry The Role of Geohistorical Methods in Geomorphological Reasoning The Relevance of Flume Experiments in Fluvial Geomorphology Applied Mathematics and Physically-based Modelling in Geomorphology …
Permafrost and ground temperature regimes
The prevailing criteria in United States Department of Agriculture's Soil Taxonomy classification system place preeminent emphasis on temperature, especially upon the presence or absence of permafrost. Given that permafrost is a purely thermal concept, but one that must pertain for at least two consecutive years, there are substantial intellectual and pragmatic challenges for pedologists working in low arctic and alpine environments where permafr…
Whither, or Wither, Periglacial Weathering Studies
The paper is a scrutiny of periglacial weathering research at the scale of underpinning concepts. Recognizing the centrality of weathering to the development of all landscapes, including those that are periglacial, an attempt is made to identify focal questions within periglacial weathering studies. The primary question is what is different about periglacial weathering regimes if freeze-thaw or mechanical weathering is not the diagnostic characte…
Measuring the Extent of Chemical Weathering in Subarctic Alpine Environments
Chemical transformations associated with the weathering of bedrock to regolith, and ultimately to soils are poorly known despite the importance of these transformations in the generation of surface and groundwater solutes, the preparation of bedrock for erosion, the production of plant nutrients, and ultimately the formation of soil itself. This lack of knowledge is particularly apparent in polar and subpolar lands where traditionally chemical pr…
Comparison of radiocarbon dating of buried paleosols using arbuscular mycorrhizae spores and bulk soil samples
Ten paleosols from four separate soil pits located in Kärkevagge, a glaciated trough in Swedish Lapland, were dated using radiocarbon. Each soil was dated using both conventional bulk soil organic material (SOM) and a pure sample of arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) fungal spores. The latter are produced by ubiquitous mycorrhizal fungi associated with the roots of many plant genera and may be viewed as a fossil material that has not interacted with any…
Geology (10 works) · Geomorphology (9 works) · Geography (7 works) · Geology (6 works) · Geology and Paleoclimatology Research (5 works) · Cryospheric studies and observations (4 works) · Physical geography (4 works) · Bedrock (3 works) · Climate change and permafrost (3 works) · Earth science (3 works)