Mapping variations in bedrock weathering with slope aspect under a
sedimentary ridge-valley system using near-surface geophysics and
drilling
Abstract
Understanding how soil thickness and bedrock weathering vary across
ridge and valley topography is needed to constrain the flowpaths of
water and sediment production within a landscape. Here, we investigate
saprolite and weathered bedrock properties across a ridge-valley system
in the Northern California Coast Ranges, USA, where topography varies
with slope aspect such that north facing slopes have thicker soils and
are more densely vegetated than south facing slopes. We use active
source seismic refraction surveys to extend observations made in
boreholes to the hillslope scale. Seismic velocity models across several
ridges capture a high velocity gradient zone (from 1000 to 2500 m/s)
located ~4-13 m below ridgetops, that coincides with
transitions in material strength and chemical depletion observed in
boreholes. Comparing this transition depth across multiple north and
south-facing slopes, we find that the thickness of saprolite does not
vary with slope aspects. Additionally, seismic survey lines
perpendicular and parallel to bedding planes reveal weathering profiles
that thicken upslope and taper downslope to channels. Using a rock
physics model incorporating seismic velocity, we estimate the total
porosity of the saprolite and find that inherited fractures contribute a
substantial amount of pore space in the upper 6 m, and the lateral
porosity structure varies strongly with hillslope position. The
aspect-independent weathering structure suggests the contemporary
critical zone structure at Rancho Venada is a legacy of past climate and
vegetation conditions.