Influence of Soil Moisture on Smectite Formation in Soils Derived from Serpentinite

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Abstract
X‐ray diffraction (XRD), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the phyllosilicates in a catena of soils derived from serpentinite in southwestern Oregon. Serpentine (variety chrysotile) and chlorite were the phyllosilicates in the bedrock and in the <2‐µm fraction of soil samples from the two well‐drained profiles. Samples from the two soils which were deeper, finer‐textured, and more poorly drained consisted of smectite, serpentine, and chlorite. The data indicate that smectite is forming from serpentine and/or chlorite in poorly drained landscape positions. The abundance of amorphous material, revealed by TEM, may suggest a mechanism for smectite formation in these soils.

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