Salt and Water Movement in Unsaturated Frozen Soil

Cary, J.W. and Mayland, H.F. (1972) Salt and Water Movement in Unsaturated Frozen Soil. Soil Science Society of America Proceedings. 36(4):549-555.

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Abstract

Salt and water movement was measured in unsaturated frozen
soil columns incubated under a thermal gradient for 3, 6, or 9
weeks. Both water and salt moved from the warmer to cooler
areas in the soil, creating a twofold concentration difference
over a 24-cm distance. Movement of CaCl₂, LiI, and K₂SO₄ was
studied in detail. Cation exchange reactions and salt solubilities
at high concentrations affected the movement. Although the
results suggested that mass flow of dissolved salts in a liquid
film of water was the principal transfer mechanism, both vapor
and salt diffusion were sometimes significant. Thermal diffusion
and salt sieving did not appear to be important.

Since the vapor pressure of ice controls the water potential
in frozen soil, the amount of unfrozen water and matric suction
could be calculated from a water release curve and data from
ice suspensions in salt solutions. These results led to the conclusion
that mass flow in the liquid phase is described by
Darcy's law. Thus, salt flow as well as net water transfer can
probably be predicted in unsaturated frozen soil using information
available from unfrozen systems.

Item Type:	Article
NWISRL Publication Number:	0239
Subjects:	Soil > Chemistry Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User:	Dan Stieneke
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2010 21:51
Last Modified:	16 Feb 2017 23:12
Item ID:	229
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/229