Topsoil Magnetic Susceptibility Mapping: Data Reproducibility and Compatibility, Measurement Strategy

Magnetic susceptibility measurements on topsoils have often been used during the last few years to detect anthropogenic pollution. In most cases, a Bartington susceptibility meter for field measurements was used. However, up to now, no standard procedure has been developed for carrying out such investigations. The purpose of our study was to test the compatibility of different set-ups of instruments used for this purpose and the possible influences of subjective (human) factors. Field magnetic susceptibility measurements, carried out with four different Bartington MS2D instruments in strictly defined positions, are very consistent both for low and high values. The correlation coefficient between the magnetic susceptibility values recorded with different Bartington MS2D probes reached 97–98%. A test area was mapped independently by two groups, without any restrictions concerning the choice and distribution of the measured points, but respecting a few standard conditions (e.g., measuring at a distance from tree trunks; on the flattest place possible; recording between 10–30 values per point). The resulting susceptibility maps show the same general features in both cases, suggesting that the measuring strategy applied is suitable for topsoil magnetic screening. The methodology proposed can be used to map magnetic susceptibility on a larger scale—for example Europe—providing large sets of representative data and eliminating border-transition biases and human errors.