The interaction of water with rocks and minerals, leading to chemical weathering, mineral dissolution, and precipitation.
Mineralogy: The study of minerals, their properties and their identification.
Geochemical modeling: The use of mathematical models to simulate chemical processes occurring in rocks and water.
Hydrogeology: The study of water in the Earth's system, including its movement through rocks and soils.
Chemical thermodynamics: The study of the energy changes associated with chemical reactions.
Isotope geochemistry: The study of the isotopic composition of rocks and water, including the use of isotopes to trace the origin and evolution of fluids.
Kinetics of mineral reactions: The study of the rates of mineral reactions, including the factors that influence them.
Acid-base equilibria: The study of the balance between acidic and basic substances in water and rocks.
Adsorption: The process by which atoms, ions or molecules from a gas, liquid or dissolved solid adhere to a surface.
Oxidation-reduction reactions: Chemical reactions where one substance loses electrons while another gains electrons.
Groundwater chemistry: The composition of water that moves through soil and rock beneath Earth's surface.
Hydrolysis: Water reacts with minerals containing acid-sensitive ions or cations to produce a new mineral or ion.
Dissolution: Water dissolves minerals and ions found in rocks or sediments to form an aqueous solution.
Adsorption: The process by which dissolved minerals adhere to the surface of minerals, soil particles, or organic matter in aquifers or soils.
Oxidation-Reduction: The exchange of electrons between two species or molecules, resulting in the transfer of oxidation numbers and an increase in oxidation state.
Ion exchange: Occurs when ions of similar charge, usually cations, replace other ions of the similar charge that are attached to a solid phase.
Mineral transformation: The chemical alteration of minerals due to chemical reactions and weathering.
Biogeochemical cycles: The study of the transformations and exchanges of chemical elements between living organisms and the non-living environment.
Carbonate dissolution: The dissolution of marine and freshwater calcium carbonate (CaCO3) by acidification.
Isotopic fractionation: Separation of isotopes in natural systems, resulting in isotopic signatures of water and minerals.
Solid-state diffusion: The movement of ions through minerals or rocks, usually occurring over long periods of time.
Sorption: The process by which compounds, including hydrocarbons or organic molecules, adhere to the surfaces of minerals or particles in water or soil.
Precipitation: The process by which a dissolved substance comes out of solution and forms a solid.
Rheology: The study of deformation and flow behavior of rocks and minerals in response to stress or strain.
Acidification: The process by which water becomes more acidic due to dissolved gases, such as carbon dioxide or sulfur dioxide.
Biomineralization: The formation of biogenic minerals, such as shells, that are produced by living organisms.