Abstract:

Kaolinite exists in soils and lake sediments near Zhongshan Station, East Antarctica. Watersoluble magnesium and pH of the soil samples are analysed. Kaolinite content in the soil samples ranges between 26% and 57%, showing clear spacial differentiation, while its content in the sediment of Lake Nella ranges between 5.8%-23.2%, showing temporal differentiation in different layers. The correlation between kaolinite content of the soil samples and the characteristics of soil solution demonstrates that the content of kaolinite is influenced by soil pH and watersoluble magnesium. Variation of kaolinite content in the sediments of Lake Nella shows that significant change of kaolinite content in soils can occur over a period of as short as several hundred years, which agrees well with the time span for substantial change of soil solution.