MAGNETIC PROPERTY AND DOMINATING FACTORS OF THE LOESS AT NORTHERN PIEDMONT OF TIANSHAN, XINJIANG

We carried out systemic rock-magnetic investigations on the loess/paleosol sequence at the northern piedmont of the Tianshan Mountain, Xinjiang. Results show that the main magnetic minerals of this sequence are magnetite, maghaemite, haematite, and the main magnetic grain size of magnetic minerals are PSD and MD. The magnetic susceptibility of the loess layer in the Tianshan Mountains is higher than that of paleosoil, which is different from the loess in Loess Plateau. Magnetic susceptibility of the sediments is controlled by native ferrimagnetic minerals from source. Fine grain magnetic materials produced by pedogenic progress make limited contribution to magnetic susceptibility of the loess.