Weathering and Mass Wasting

Though Ireland is filled with a variety beautiful landscapes, however these landscapes are slowly changing and disappearing due to weathering. Evidence of weathering in Ireland can be found on the Burren or “Great Rock.” Features like sinkholes are created in the karst landscape through a process called dissolution.. This area of Ireland contains a large amount of limestone. Carbonic acid is created within the atmosphere and combined with a calcium bicarbonate ion, which dissolves the limestone.  Found within the large karst landscape of Burren, are a series of caves also formed by dissolution.

Sinkholes, like the one in the orange circle above is an example of what happens when dissolution weathers away the landscape. A chemical process like this is possible due to joints (purple rectangle), or breaks within the rock. These allow for chemical and physical weathering to take place.

Image taken from: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://sb.westfordk12.us/pages/6mweb/6mss/travelpages/blue10/bcharlie/images/The_Burren.jpg&imgrefurl=http://sb.westfordk12.us/pages/6mweb/6mss/travelpages/blue10/bcharlie/index.html&usg=__AMDkY9YKVv994a4MZpxXYEQqDgQ=&h=1944&w=2592&sz=1378&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=fBJxjcyIbAmsHM:&tbnh=109&tbnw=150&ei=ehNwTemfNY704QaS37iEDQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dthe%2Bburren%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-Address%26biw%3D1189%26bih%3D534%

A cave in Burren, above, contains similar features to the previous landscape.

Image From: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/hotels/ireland/gregans/photos/cave3.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/hotels/ireland/gregans/castle.html&usg=__Lwf_htu6t6MgaCLzFZZUhI0TP_g=&h=257&w=360&sz=48&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=ozb-qlB2Pwgz4M:&tbnh=116&tbnw=155&ei=UBZwTbqpHsnE4gbnlvm8BA&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dburren%2Bcaves%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den

On a side note, evidence has been found to show that deforestation in earlier years helped spped along the process of weathering on the Burren.

A feature that is rarely seen across the Irish landscape is a mudslide. The results of these, seen below, occur when a there is a disturbance on a slope. The weak soil that then lies on top is carried downhill. Mudslides like these are problematic to people in the area because they can block roadways or even destroy homes.

Information from: http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/places/the_burren/burren_karst.htm

and http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0825/1224253194759.html