The present study investigates changes occurring in the material composition and properties of the South Yakutian carbonate soils during cryogenesis. The nature of the transformations of certain limestone varieties composing the surfaces of rock massifs was determined using scanning electron microscopy, 3D X-ray tomography, as well as lithological–mineralogical and optical–petrographic studies, over a 10-year period. The areas in carbonate rock massifs with increased clay content, pyritisation, dolomitisation, and baritisation, as well as zones of calcite and dolomite junction, were found to be least resistant to the effects of processes associated with water phase transitions, i.e., freezing and thawing. The mineral proportion of limestone on the surface of soil massifs chemically processed over a 10-year period reached 5–7% of the volume of the weathered rocks. In the process of transformation, not only the composition of the rocks changed, but also the nature of the structural bonds that significantly influence their mechanical strength properties. The number of cracks for weathered soil samples increased by 9–16%; their opening increased by 13–18%. For rocks initially having uniaxial compression strength in the range of 33–46 MPa, this strength was reduced by 19–27%. Laboratory experiments on 1000-fold cyclic freezing and thawing of carbonate rock samples (which corresponds to an 8–10-year period of weathering on the surface of a mountain outcrop under the natural conditions of South Yakutia) demonstrate the similarity of these changes with those observed in samples taken from the sides of open pits 10 years ago. In general, soils are influenced by a wide range of environmental factors under natural conditions. The significant influence of alternating temperatures on the changes in the composition and structure of limestones in South Yakutia is characterised in detail.

中文翻译：

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南雅库特（俄罗斯）的碳酸盐土壤低温成因

本研究调查了低温过程中南雅库特碳酸盐土壤的物质组成和性质发生的变化。使用扫描电子显微镜、3D X 射线层析成像以及岩性-矿物学和光学-岩相学研究，确定了 10 年间构成岩体表面的某些石灰岩种类的转变性质。发现粘土含量增加、黄化、白云石化和重晶石化的碳酸盐岩地块中的区域以及方解石和白云石交界区对与水相转变相关的过程（即冻结和融化）的影响的抵抗力最弱. 经过 10 年化学处理的土体表面石灰石的矿物比例达到风化岩体积的 5-7%。在转变过程中，不仅岩石的成分发生了变化，而且显着影响其机械强度特性的结构键的性质也发生了变化。风化土壤样品的裂缝数量增加了 9-16%；他们的开盘率增加了 13-18%。对于最初具有 33-46 MPa 范围内的单轴抗压强度的岩石，该强度降低了 19-27%。对碳酸盐岩样品进行 1000 倍循环冻结和融化的实验室实验（对应于南雅库特自然条件下山地露头表面的 8-10 年风化期）表明这些变化与那些变化的相似性在 10 年前从露天矿坑侧面采集的样本中观察到。一般来说，土壤在自然条件下会受到多种环境因素的影响。详细描述了交替温度对南雅库特石灰岩成分和结构变化的显着影响。