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Thermal Properties of a Pumice Soil¹

ABSTRACT

Dacite pumice materials deposited by the eruption of Mount Mazama cover a land area for as much as 161 km (100 miles) north and east of Crater Lake, Oregon. Frequent night frosts occur in this region. Thermal properties of the pumice material were investigated to determine their affect on the occurrence of low temperatures in the area and thus gain a better understanding of the factors governing the distribution of lodgepole (Pinus contorta Dougl.) and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Laws). Thermal conductivities were determined experimentally with a line heat source and calculated theoretically. The theoretical calculations were based on methods which take into account the volume fractions of solid, air, and water of the pumice and the thermal conductivity of each one of these components. The thermal conductivities of dacite pumice were found to be very low, which may account for the frequent occurrence of night frost in this region.

Key Words: heat conductivity • heat capacity • water content and thermal properties

¹ Contribution from the Soils Department, Oregon Agr. Exp. Sta., Paper no. 2183.

² Former Research Assistant, now Assistant Professor of Silviculture, State University College of Forestry at Syracuse University, Associatiate Professor, and Professor, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, respectively.

Received for publication August 31, 1966. Accepted for publication March 22, 1967.