Hydrobiotite formation in some Norwegian arctic-alpine soils developing in Neoglacial till

The clay mineralogy of two podzolised soil profiles, which have been developing for approximately 230 years in an arctic-alpine locality of southern Norway, has been examined using X-ray diffraction. Inheritance from the till parent material plays a major role in the origin of clay minerals in these young soils. However, weathering of mica has led to the formation of hydrobiotite. The rapid formation of hydrobiotite in these young profiles indicated that chemical weathering is significant even in arctic-alpine environments and should be given more emphasis, especially in modelling studies, than has occurred previously.