Climatically influenced denudation rates of the southern African plateau: Clues to solving a geomorphic paradox

Abstract Southern Africa displays a high topography but paradoxically exhibits tectonic stability and low denudation rates. Here the present controls on denudation in southern Africa are investigated by comparing maximum denudation rates for Karoo dolerite surfaces in the region, determined from the abundances of cosmogenic noble gas nuclides ( 3 He, 21 Ne and 38 Ar) in pyroxenes, with the predictions of a climate-dependent weathering rate model. In general, we find an excellent agreement in the value ranges of both datasets (