Clay science in the 'Critical Zone'

Columns features the publication of a new book written by a Franklin faclty member on one of the most ubiquitous substances found around the world, new and dear to Georgians but crucial to everything from earthenware to building construction and especially its geological role in the 'Critcal Zone':

Written by UGA faculty member Paul Schroeder, Clays in the Critical Zone considers clay science in the context of the Critical Zone, the Earth’s permeable near-surface layer. 

The book starts with an introduction to clays and clay minerals, their historic background and a review of how clay science impacts the Critical Zone. Examples and applications demonstrate how clays regulate habitats and determine the availability of other resources. These examples are supported by quantitative field data, including numerical and graphical depictions of clay and clay mineral occurrences. The book concludes by covering Critical Zone clay geochemistry and clay sequences, including the industrial, synthetic medical and extra-terrestrial world of clay science.

Great job, and congratulations to Dr. Schroeder for his field work and scholarship examining clays in soils and contributing to the development of a unified theory for Critical Zone evolution. The book was published in August by Cambridge University Press.