Laterisation

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

  1. The geochemical process in which intense weathering in tropical or subtropical climates leads to the formation of highly oxidized and leached soils rich in iron and aluminum oxides ; the gradual transformation of rock or soil into a distinctly colored, often reddish, layer due to prolonged exposure and chemical alteration ; the development of a soil profile characterized by the concentration of insoluble oxides resulting from the depletion of silica and other soluble constituents under humid conditions
  2. The formation of a type of soil marked by extensive leaching that concentrates iron and aluminum compounds, causing a color change and mineral depletion in tropical regions ; the natural alteration of surface materials into a laterite layer through chemical weathering ; the process by which rock or soil undergoes mineralogical and textural changes resulting in a distinct, enriched horizon dominated by hydrated oxides
  3. A soil-forming process where prolonged chemical weathering in warm, wet climates causes the removal of soluble elements and accumulation of iron and aluminum oxides, leading to a hardened, reddish soil layer ; the transformation of original geological materials into lateritic soils characterized by poor fertility and distinctive colors ; the environmental and geological changes promoting the development of a deeply weathered soil horizon defined by lateral accumulation of insoluble residues

Etymology: "Laterisation" is the British spelling of "laterization," and the word is built from "later," the Latin word for brick or tile. The clay-rich soils it describes were named for the bricks they resemble: when they are dried or fired, iron oxides in them harden into a red, brick-like material. The Latin root gives the word its concrete core, and the suffix "-ation" turns the process into a noun for the act or result of that hardening. Geologists use the term for the slow weathering process in tropical and subtropical climates, where heavy rain leaches silica and other minerals out of rock and leaves iron and aluminium behind. Over time this produces the hard, reddish layers known as laterite.

Synonyms: lateralization, hemispheric specialization

Antonyms: bilateralism, non-lateralization