Skip to main content
Skip to main menu Skip to spotlight region Skip to secondary region Skip to UGA region Skip to Tertiary region Skip to Quaternary region Skip to unit footer

Slideshow

Clay science in the 'Critical Zone'

By:
Alan Flurry

Clays coverColumns features the publication of a new book written by a Franklin faclty member on one of the most ubiquitous substances found around the world, new and dear to Georgians but crucial to everything from earthenware to building construction and especially its geological role in the 'Critcal Zone':

Written by UGA faculty member Paul Schroeder, Clays in the Critical Zone considers clay science in the context of the Critical Zone, the Earth’s permeable near-surface layer. 

The book starts with an introduction to clays and clay minerals, their historic background and a review of how clay science impacts the Critical Zone. Examples and applications demonstrate how clays regulate habitats and determine the availability of other resources. These examples are supported by quantitative field data, including numerical and graphical depictions of clay and clay mineral occurrences. The book concludes by covering Critical Zone clay geochemistry and clay sequences, including the industrial, synthetic medical and extra-terrestrial world of clay science.

Great job, and congratulations to Dr. Schroeder for his field work and scholarship examining clays in soils and contributing to the development of a unified theory for Critical Zone evolution. The book was published in August by Cambridge University Press.

Support Franklin College

We appreciate your financial support. Your gift is important to us and helps support critical opportunities for students and faculty alike, including lectures, travel support, and any number of educational events that augment the classroom experience. Click here to learn more about giving.