Geomorphological Analysis of Chemical Weathering Features in Al-Band Hills Area, Eastern of Misan Governorate, Iraq

Abstract

A 59 km2 area of soil transect called Al-Band Hills in the eastern part of Misan governorate, south of Iraq was studied. The objective of this study was to understand the behavior of minerals and features of chemical weathering in the transect area soils that developed on fluvial and water-loaded sediments, in order to fulfill this objective, three soil pedons were selected one of them at the top of Hills and second in the middle and third pedon in the bottom of the Hill. The results showed that Al-Band Hills located in semi-arid soils in the east of Misan governorate, south of Iraq are characterized by a low and middle intensity of chemical weathering. In an alkaline environment according to its carbonate minerals richness, with a low amount of precipitation, the intensity, and type of silicate minerals weathering is restricted not only by the climate but by the chemical conditions of the soil solution. According to this study's findings, the intensity of weathering of present soil pedons is mostly inherited from the parent rocks which is transferred by the action of water movement from northern areas from Turkey and Iran which belongs to the Quaternary. This study will give clear sights into the geomorphological and geochemical processes that happen in studied soils in semi-arid regions and show the possibility of using weathering features in carbonate and alkali sediments.