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Published in Soil Sci Soc Am J 50:1088-1091 (1986)
© 1986 Soil Science Society of America
677 S. Segoe Rd., Madison, WI 53711 USA
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Use of Rayleigh Scatter for Determining X-ray Mass Absorption Coefficients1

A. H. Beavers and Ken R. Olson2

ABSTRACT

X-rays impinging upon matter are both scattered and absorbed. As the mass absorption coefficient (µM) of the soil sample increases more x-rays are absorbed and less are scattered. X-ray absorption is directly related to the atomic number of the element present and the scatter is inversely related to the atomic number of the elements making up the sample. Since some x-ray tubes, such as W, have severe limitations using the L{alpha} Compton scatter for determining (µM), we have found that the Rayleigh (unmodified) x-ray scatter is as precise as the Compton scatter (MoK{alpha}) and has many advantages. Any x-ray tube can be used and the Rayleigh scatter is linear with respect to (µM) over a range of two theta settings, making possible the determination of both µM and the true background from one measurement. X-ray mass absorption coefficient µM can be used to characterize the homogeneity and changes of soil with depth. Each soil studied had a characteristic line expressing the relationship between mass absorption coefficient and soil depth. The maximum value of µM appeared to reflect the maximum of soil mass including weathering productions such as clay, Fe, and bases. For all soils, the maximum value of µM appeared to be one or two subhorizons below the maximum clay and cation exchange capacity values. The subsoil tends to have a higher capacity to absorb x-rays than either the topsoil or parent material.

NOTES

1 Contribution from the Illinois Agric. Exp. Stn., Urbana, IL 61801.

2 Professor Emeritus and Assistant Professor, Agronomy Dep., Univ. of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801.

Received for publication June 6, 1985.




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Copyright © 1986 by the Soil Science Society of America.