Correlation of magnetic and lithologic features of soils and Quaternary sediments from the Undulating Pampa, Argentina

A lithological and mineral magnetic study of three soil and underlying sedimentary sections located at different topographic positions in the Undulating Pampa was performed. On the basis of grain size analyses, clay, silt and sand mineralogy, and total Ti/Zr relationship three different sedimentary units were recognised in the profiles under study suggesting that the area has been influenced by three different sources of sediments. Magnetic susceptibility (MS) appears to be related to lithology, allowing the identification of some material and lithologic discontinuities. In the studied cases the maximum values of MS appear in both the B horizons of the present zonal soils as well as in the primary or reworked loess levels. In contrast, minimum values are associated with calcrete, paleosol, and hydromorphic horizons. Although magnetic susceptibility appears to be an effective means for identifying different materials and pedological features in this area, due to the superposition of effects on the magnetic signal a thorough interpretation of MS requires that a composite analysis should be made.