description Susan Brantley Overview
Susan Brantley is an American geologist and geochemist whose research focuses on chemical weathering, mineral reactions, and the exchange of materials between rocks and water. Her work examines how these reactions alter landscapes, regulate elements in soils and rivers, and affect the movement of carbon through near-surface environments. Brantley is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and her research is relevant to geochemistry, hydrology, environmental geology, and Earth-system science.
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What does Susan Brantley study as a geologist?
Susan Brantley studies aqueous geochemistry, especially the reactions among water, rock, minerals, soil, and gases. Her work examines how chemical weathering changes landscapes and affects water quality.
Why is Susan Brantley's research on chemical weathering important?
Chemical weathering helps turn rock into soil and participates in the long-term carbon cycle that influences climate. Brantley's research connects laboratory reaction rates with what happens in real watersheds.
Where has Susan Brantley worked?
Brantley is closely associated with Penn State, where she became an emerita professor of geosciences. She earned her Ph.D. in geological and geophysical sciences from Princeton in 1987.
What is the Earth weathering engine associated with Susan Brantley?
The Earth weathering engine describes the linked processes of water flow, rock dissolution, soil formation, erosion, biology, and climate. Brantley developed this way of thinking about weathering with geologist Arthur White during research on how laboratory results apply to landscapes.
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