Climatolization: a terminological proposal to replace the concept of weathering from theperspective of long-term climatology.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54288/yotantsipanko.v5i2.56Keywords:
climatolization, climatology, geological time, rock alteration processes, weatheringAbstract
This article presents a critical reflection on the appropriateness of the term weathering to designate the processes of decomposition and disintegration of rocks at the Earth's surface. Based on an etymological,
conceptual, and geological analysis, it is argued that this term—derived from the ancient notion
of meteor, associated with short-term atmospheric phenomena—is inadequate for describing
processes occurring over prolonged geological and climatic timescales. Instead, the neologism
climatolization is proposed, as it better aligns the designation with the actual temporal and
environmental nature of the involved processes. This proposal is supported by evidence showing
that the intensity, type, and rate of rock alteration are controlled by regional climate (mean
temperature and sustained precipitation regime), rather than by isolated meteorological events
(Brady & Weil, 2016; Davies et al., 1994; González Hidalgo & Martínez-Casanovas, 2010).
Although the inherent resistance to terminological changes in science is acknowledged, the need
for conceptual precision that coherently reflects the relationship among geological time,
landscape, and accumulated climate is defended.
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