A geomorphological investigation on the origin of alveolar disintegration in Yıldız bay, Gökçeada island

This thesis dealts with various kinds of weathering forms that characterise alveolar disintegration in Yıldız Bay, which is located in northern part of the Gökçeada Island. The alveolar weathering detected on sandstones in the study area were studied with an multi-disciplinary approach by considering the impacts of geomorphologic, petrographic, structural and biological agents. In order to explain relationships between alveolisation and petrographic attributes of the host rock (particularly mineral composition and cementation), the residues collected from bottom of weathered cells were investigated based on the use of XRD (X-Ray Diffraction) and XRF (X-Ray Florouscence Spectroscopy) as well as petrographic thin section analyses of rock samples. The morphological and morphometric properties of alveoli and tafoni and petrography of sandstones were also investigated. In addition, bioerosion caused by relationships between microscopic epilith and endolith that comprise primer producters of bioerosional community and the surface fauna that they form were taken into account. It was concluded that salt crystallization during dry summer season affect alveoli development together with the influences of rock barnacles on the littoral zone.