9

Site number:

9

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1964/10/29

Reason Sampled:

Examination of salts

Description:

Eastern side of glacial basin below Luther Peak, on a foot slope

Altitude:

125 m

Aspect:

E

Slope:

15 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Coastal Antarctic

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-15 °C

Frozen ground depth:

5 cm

Frozen type:

Hard ice-cemented

Frozen comment:

5cm

Geology

Geological setting:

Till and slope drift derived from schistose greywackes of the Robertson Bay Group

Patterned ground:

Weakly developed solifluction terracing

Surface weathering or surface features:

Surface clasts subangular and unweathered, white encrustations of salt on some rocks, on the soil surface and beneath some surface stones

Soil

Soil parent material:

Greywacke till, with surface reworking due to downslope movement

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

1 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Xerous to subxerous

Biological activity:

Nil observed