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Surface Morphology of Quartz and Age of Soils
Author(s) -
Douglas Lowell A.,
Platt David W.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1977.03615995004100030045x
Subject(s) - quartz , soil water , geology , morphology (biology) , precipitation , mineralogy , quaternary , glacial period , scanning electron microscope , geochemistry , soil science , geomorphology , materials science , composite material , paleontology , physics , meteorology
The surface morphology of quartz sand grains from soils developed from Wisconsin, Illinoian, and Kansan age glacial material and on residual parent materials were studied using scanning electron microscopy. Both solution and precipitation surfaces were observed. Quartz surfaces showed an amount of chemical alteration proportional to the water holding capacity and the age of the parent material. More alteration was found in the A horizons than in the B horizons of the youngest soils studied, while little difference between A and B horizons of very old soils was observed. The surface morphology of quartz sand grains may be used to estimate the age of a soil relative to the glacial periods within the Quaternary.