Russian research team reveals submicroscopic pore structure of chernozem using ion beam scanning electron microscopy
Researchers at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and their collaborators have recently used focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) to perform detailed characterization of the microstructure of chernozem soil samples. The study shows that this technique can identify pores smaller than 1 micron, pore morphology, and specific organic components in soil, providing a new observational tool for understanding the mechanisms of chernozem fertility formation and maintenance. The research was supported by a grant from the Russian Science Foundation and published in the 17th series "Soil Science" of the Moscow University Bulletin. Soil science research typically requires extending from the field scale to the microscopic scale. Computed tomography (CT) has been widely used to...
2026-08-03
