Distinguishing pedogenic and non-pedogenic silcretes in the landscape and geological record

Silcrete is a type of duricrust formed by the near-surface accumulation of secondary silica within a soil, sediment, rock or weathered material. A variety of models of formation have been put forward, involving silicification in both pedogenic and non-pedogenic settings. The resulting silcrete types...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inProceedings of the Geologists' Association Vol. 127; no. 3; pp. 311 - 319
Main Authors Ullyott, J. Stewart, Nash, David J.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2016
Subjects
Duricrust
Groundwater silcrete
Micromorphology
Pedogenic silcrete
Puddingstone
Sarsen
Silicification
Pedogenic silcrete
Puddingstone
Sarsen
Groundwater silcrete
Duricrust
Silicification
Micromorphology
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Summary:Silcrete is a type of duricrust formed by the near-surface accumulation of secondary silica within a soil, sediment, rock or weathered material. A variety of models of formation have been put forward, involving silicification in both pedogenic and non-pedogenic settings. The resulting silcrete types differ in terms of their macroscale characteristics, micromorphology, areal extent and behavioural properties. Such differences have significant implications in a range of geological, geomorphological, archaeological and engineering contexts, making the correct identification of silcrete type of considerable importance. This paper reviews the properties of pedogenic, groundwater, drainage-line and pan/lacustrine silcretes, and identifies many characteristics that may be diagnostic. It also discusses a number of more problematic macro- and micro-scale features common to both pedogenic and non-pedogenic silcretes. It concludes with a short checklist to aid the future identification of different silcrete types in the landscape and geological record.
ISSN:0016-7878
DOI:10.1016/j.pgeola.2016.03.001