Search

Purpose. Agriculture and soil science are the most promising areas for soil magnetism information content investigation. These researches are called agrogeophysics. Soil mapping, studying of the soil genetic horizons, geomorphic situations are among the main tasks of the soil science. Mapping of farming lands, study of soil erosion, relevance of organic and mineral fertilizers injection and determination of integral indicator of fertility are the basic directions of soil magnetism informational content researches in agronomy. All the problems discussed above can be solved with the magnetic methods. Moreover, they are high speed, effective and low-cost. Methodology. For magnetic analyses of the soil cover different parameters of magnetic researches can be used and the main are following: magnetic susceptibility, natural remanent magnetization, summary and effective magnetization, vertical gradient of the magnetic field. The magnetic parameters are measured in the laboratory and in the natural conditions with the astatic magnetometer LAM-24, rock-generator JR-4, kappabridge KLY-2, dual frequency magnetometer MS-2, field kappameters KT-5 and PIMV-M, a special magnetic gradiometer. Soil content was studied by means of Ph and elements analyses. Findings. This publication presents the results of measurements of magnetic susceptibility of soils in areas with different landscapes. The magnetic characteristics decrease under the conditions of eluvial landscapes and under the influence of geochemical processes of salinization. Furthermore, the minimal values of the soil magnetism are specific for hydromorphic landscapes. Usually mentioned processes cannot be determined visually. In the same time they significantly reduce productivity of agricultural land. Soil erosion is a separate problem. Originality. The connection between the dispersion of the magnetic susceptibility and erosion status of the site was established. Topsoil is washed away under the influence of water erosion. We have observed the decreasing of the magnetic susceptibility values in areas under risk of erosion. Practical value. Further investigations of the informational content of soil magnetism in agriculture and soil science are associated with the development of an optimal technology of soil mapping with use of magnetic methods. The fundamental problems of the geophysics of soil can be solved. Methodology of research and construction of the magnetic models of soil cover of Ukraine can be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]