Magnetic characteristics of topsoil from Xinjiang, Northwestern China, and their implications

Abstract

In this study, a set of environmental magnetic parameters (χ_lf, χ_fd%,χ_ARM, SIRM, HIRM, SOFT and SIRM/χ_lf, χ_ARM/SIRM and χ_ARM/χ_lf) of 331 top-soil samples from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China were systematically measured and the magnetic characteristics and its environmental significance were discussed. Our results indicate that the main magnetic minerals of these top-soils are single-domain magnetite. The content of magnetic minerals in top-soils from north Xinjiang is higher than that from south Xinjiang; however, the content of hard magnetic minerals is higher in the top-soils from south Xinjiang. The top-soils from Yili region contain similar magnetic minerals as that from south Xinjiang, but with much stronger magnetic SP content due to higher pedogenic processes. The differences in magnetic characteristics among top-soils from different regions of Xinjiang might reflect the differences of regional climatic factors, especially the precipitation.

Keywords

environmental magnetism / top-soil / magnetic susceptibility / Xinjiang Uigur Autonomous Region

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40871090, 90502008). We also want to express our sincere appreciation to Prof. Zhao Yan and Prof. Liu Xiuming at Lanzhou University for their suggestions on improving of the manuscript.

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