Micromorphology and sub‐microscopy of allophane and imogolite in a podzol Bs horizon: evidence for translocation and origin

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Abstract
SUMMARY: In thin sections of a cemented Bs horizon, allophane is present as isotropic, or weakly anisotropic, transparent, yellow, commonly fluorescent gel deposits, which line or fill voids, cement sand and silt, and form pseudomorphs of root structures. Atomic ratios of Si: Al range from 1: 2.2 to 1: 3.7 in pale deposits, but drop to 1: 8.8 in regions of organic staining. Fe: Al atomic ratios in transparent deposits range from near zero to 0.4. The local uniformity of the gels indicates that the allophane, with associated iron oxides, is deposited from solution, and is not formed in situ from a precipitated organic complex, or by weathering of minerals in situ. Mineralogical evidence indicates that the origin of the allophane is related to intense acidic weathering of plagioclase and biotites in the Eg and Bhg horizons. A fibrous morphology indicative of imogolite is seen under the scanning electron microscope only in critical point dried specimens.It is proposed that the cracked coatings characteristic of cemented Bs horizons can be interpreted as allophanic deposits, associated with varying amounts of clay and iron oxide, and impregnated with varying amounts of fulvic acids. Such deposits cannot be taken as evidence for the migration of Al and Fe as organic complexes.