Caracterização de solos da caverna Abrigo da Areia Solta – GO – BR por técnica de espectroscopia e simulação de parâmetros de interação com a radiação.

Abstract

Soils are essential components in the ecosystem, there are different types of soils and each type presents intrinsic characteristics. Since it is a slowly-renewable resource, preservation parks are created as the Parque Estadual da Serra Dourada (Golden Mountain State Park), for example, which incentivizes the preservation of the local ecosystem. The granites found in Serra Dourada are characteristic of post-orogenic processes, they are included in the Araxá group, however, little is known regarding the characteristics of the soils in that region. The FASCA-UEPG group (Physics applied to soils and environmental sciences group of the State University of Ponta Grossa) in a partnership with the Pequi Espelogrupo of UFG (Federal University of Goiás) proposed the study of soil samples from eight distinct points collected from the Parque Estadual da Serra Dourada. This work developed a study on the cave Abrigo da Areia Solta (Loose Sand Shelter), at three distinct points, where the following techniques were applied: textural analysis, helium pycnometry, energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence and radiation interaction simulation aiming at the characterization and possible physical and elemental distinction between the three points. Distinct amounts of organic matter were visually observed at the three points that influenced the particle density values between them; the three points were classified as sandy texture, with small variations in their chemical composition. When analyzing the radiation interaction parameters, the following measurements were carried out: total and partial mass attenuation coefficients, atomic, electronic and molecular shock sections, effective atomic number, and electronic density, differences were found between the points only in the three parameters listed. In addition, the effective atomic number and the electronic density revealed the influence of the cesium element in the soils even when small amounts were observed. The techniques employed validated the soil previous description, which had been classified as a Litholic Soil with quartzite and/or quartz/shale original material.