Chemical and particle-size evidence for addition of fine dust to soils of the midwestern United States

Research Article| December 01, 1998 Chemical and particle-size evidence for addition of fine dust to soils of the midwestern United States Joseph A. Mason; Joseph A. Mason 1Conservation and Survey Division and Department of Geosciences, University of Nebraska, 113 Nebraska Hall, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588-0517 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Peter M. Jacobs Peter M. Jacobs 2Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin, 800 West Main Street, Whitewater, Wisconsin 53190 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (1998) 26 (12): 1135–1138. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1998)026<1135:CAPSEF>2.3.CO;2 Article history first online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Joseph A. Mason, Peter M. Jacobs; Chemical and particle-size evidence for addition of fine dust to soils of the midwestern United States. Geology 1998;; 26 (12): 1135–1138. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1998)026<1135:CAPSEF>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Significant long-term atmospheric dust additions to soils are well documented in many parts of the world, but not in the midwestern United States. We investigated elemental mass fluxes associated with soil development in late Wisconsinan loess in Illinois and Minnesota, using Zr as a stable index element. Positive mass fluxes of Al, Fe, and Ti can most plausibly be explained by additions to these soils of fine far-traveled dust, with higher Al/Zr, Fe/Zr, and Ti/Zr ratios than the coarser locally derived loess. High-resolution particle-size analyses support this explanation. The proposed dust influx will complicate efforts to quantify weathering processes in these soils. Far-traveled dust influx could have occurred simultaneously with the final phase of local loess deposition, and/or later, in the Holocene. Depending on the timing of dust influx, many other soils of the region may have been affected by it. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.