Definitions
Birefringence fabric (b-fabric): patterns of orientation and distribution of interference colors in the micromass seen in crossed-polarized light.
Fabric (micro): the spatial arrangement of the soil constituents, including solid material, pores, and their shape, size and frequency.
Groundmass: the coarse and fine material that forms the basic material of the soil in thin section.
Microfacies: the body of sediment seen in thin section with microscopic characteristics such as composition, grain size, and sedimentary structures that are recognizably different from surrounding sediments.
Pedofeature: discrete fabric units in soil material. They are characterized by different concentrations in one or more components or internal fabric from the adjacent groundmass.
Petrographic or polarized light microscope: a microscope equipped for observation of thin sections in transmitted polarized light.
Sedimentary structures: bedding and surface features produced at the time of...
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Karkanas, P., Goldberg, P. (2017). Soil Micromorphology. In: Gilbert, A.S. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geoarchaeology. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-4409-0_27
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