Abstract
Characteristic features formed by subsurface water flow were found in hillslope soils of the Judean Desert. One such feature consists of laminar carbonate crusts 3-30 mm thick, which cross hard calcrete. Their microstructure displays alternate laminae of residual rock and void-filling sparite. It seems that dissolution proceeded along narrow cracks which were later filled by calcite crystals. Gypsic horizons and gypsic crusts occur in soil further downslope. The microstructure of the gypsic crusts show many laminae of different fabric which are the product of dissolution-precipitation events along the path of lateral water flow. Strongly decalcified red material was found to occur within the crust whereas partially decalcified reddish layers appeared adjacent to the crust. The reddish soil material is due to the effect of the gypsum and is not a paleofeature of a former humid climate.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 235-243 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Developments in Soil Science |
| Volume | 19 |
| Issue number | C |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1990 |