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Gel-Like Films that May Form at the Air-Water Interfaces in Soils¹

ABSTRACT

When dry soil material is moistened stepwise and then slowly submerged, a film appears on the water surface where it may remain floating for several days as a coherent patch. The film consists of a gel-like matrix that contains particles ranging upward to sand size. The evidence to date indicates that the film matrix differs little from the < 0.2 µ cay. It is thought that material disaggregated from the surface of the soil material by the disruption of drying and subsequent wetting becomes caught at the air-water interface and is there spread out by surface tension forces. The possible role of the films in translocation of solids and other aspects of soil development is discussed.

¹ Contribution from Soil Survey Laboratories, Soil Survey Investigations, Soil Conservation Service, USDA. Presented before Div. S-2 and S-5, Nov. 19, 1964.

² Soil Scientists, Soil Survey Laboratory, SCS, USDA, Lincoln, Nebraska. The electron micrographs were taken by M. K. Brakke, ARS, USDA, Lincoln, Nebraska; the infrared patterns were obtained by Margaret M. Wheeler, Chemistry Dep., Univ. Nebraska; and the X-ray fluorescence was done by R. C. Vanden Heuvel, SCS, Beltsville, Md. J. G. Cady, SCS, Beltsville, made valuable suggestions. The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of these people.

Received for publication August 8, 1966. Accepted for publication December 10, 1966.