Natural radioactivity of the soils of the Voyskovoy ravine

Abstract

The concentration of natural radionuclides in the soils, which determine the amount of its natural radioactivity, varies widely and depends on the intensity of soil-forming processes, and is also determined by the type of soils. As a result of the study of the natural radioactivity of the soils of the Voyskovoy ravine (southern variant of the ravine forest), it was established that the upper horizons H1 and H2 of the ordinary chernozem of the northern exposure differ in increased values of natural radioactivity compared to the lower horizons HPk and Pk, which is caused by a higher content of organic substances in the upper horizons, which actively adsorb radionuclides. The eluvial horizons (H1el, H2el and H3el) of the forest chernozem of the northern exposure are characterized by reduced values of natural radioactivity compared to the eluvial horizons and the parent rock (Hil, Phil and P), which is due to the peculiarities of the redistribution of the silty fraction, which are able to bind significant amounts of radionuclides. Horizons H1el and H2el of meadow-forest soil of the thalweg are characterized by increased values of natural radioactivity compared to horizons H3el and Hil. Illuvial horizons Hil and Phkil of the forest chernozem of the southern exposure are characterized by increased values of natural radioactivity compared to eluvial horizons H1el, H2el and H3el. The minimum values of natural radioactivity in ordinary chernozem of the southern exposure were found in the upper horizons H1 and H2, the maximum value is associated with the Pk horizon. The maximum values of natural radioactivity among the upper horizons of the studied soils are characteristic of the meadow-forest soil of the thalweg and the forest chernozem of the southern exposure, the minimum values are for the ordinary chernozem of the southern exposure and the forest chernozem of the northern exposure. The content of organic substances plays a decisive role in the profile distribution of natural radioactivity values for the ordinary chernozem of the northern exposure and the meadow-forest soil of the thalweg, the distribution of the silty fraction – for the forest chernozems of the northern and southern exposures, as well as for the ordinary chernozem of the southern exposure of the ravine.