Lithological factors affecting magnetic susceptibility of subtropical soils, Zhejiang Province, China

Abstract

Magnetic susceptibility ( χ) was measured on subtropical soils formed on a range of parent materials in Zhejiang Province, China, to demonstrate the influence of parent material lithologies on the amount and vertical distribution of χ in the soils. We found that the χ values of soils vary by up to two orders of magnitude with their parent material lithologies. Soils formed on igneous rocks with high χ values showed high absolute χ and distinctly decreased χ compared with χ values of parent materials. The χ values of soils formed on basalt, andesite and granodiorite were >250×10 −8 m 3 kg −1. The χ values of soils formed on granite, and other neutral and acid igneous rocks ranged from 50×10 −8 to 120×10 −8 m 3 kg −1. In most of the soils formed on sedimentary rocks, χ enhancement in upper horizons of soils was found compared with parent material χ. This enhancement was believed to be pedogenic formation of superparamagnetic (SP)–stable single domain (SSD) magnetic grains, which are characterized by high values of frequency dependent susceptibility ( χ fd) and anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM). Soils formed on sedimentary rocks with a very low initial χ and iron content showed a low χ value throughout the profile. It was found that there is a highly significant relationship between the χ values of soils and their dithionite–citrate–bicarbonate solution (DCB) soluble iron contents (Fe d). The χ values of soils in chronosequences formed on alluvium and two marine deposits increased as soils became older. It is suggested that the χ values can be used as a tool for determining the relative age in chronosequence studies.