GEOCHEMISTRY OF SPODOSOLS FORMED IN HOLOCENE TILL, NORRA-STORFJALLET MASSIF, NORTHERN SWEDEN

Silt and day size fractions of soils, from a transect of six Spodosols formed in the Norra Storfjallet Massif, were analyzed by neutron acti vation to determine the degree to which pedogenic processes have influ enced the distribution of macro, micro and trace elements. The distrib utions of Mg, Ca and Fe, together with Co, Cr and other trace elements in the profiles, suggest the presence of different parent materials, with A and E horizons arising from an influx of aeolian sediment. Tran slocation processes, both physical and chemical, occurred in the soil concentrating Fe and Br in the spodic (Bs) horizons of the profiles. T he rare earth elements (REEs) are predominantly associated with the he avy mineral fraction of the soil material. The distributions of chondr ite normalized REEs patterns of the profiles indicate that light rare earth element (LREE) concentrations increase with horizon depth. The d epletion of LREEs in the upper soil horizons confirms the presence of material that is chemically different from that in the lower horizons, thus indicating a distinct chemical difference from the local glacial deposits.