Magnetic Susceptibility of Soils in the South Baikal Region Complicated by Paleocryogenesis

The article presents a study of the magnetic susceptibility of soils as a diagnostic indicator of pedogenesis processes. The dependences of this indicator on other soil properties, such as electrical resistivity, soil acidity, content of humus and exchangeable cations, carbonates, silt and physical clay, gross iron, and soil age have been revealed. A positive relationship has been established between the magnetic susceptibility of soils and the content of carbonates, exchangeable bases, physical clay and silt. Moreover, in the depressions of paleocryogenic complexes there were more positive connections between magnetic susceptibility and soil properties than on the mounds. They also showed a close relationship with humus and soil age. A negative dependence appeared for acidity and exchangeable hydrogen. In all soils, magnetic susceptibility was found to have the closest positive relationship with soil electrical resistivity.