Valley floor surface at the head of Long Valley; a series of glacial retreat surfaces with hummocky patterned ground topography
Altitude:
1625 m
Aspect:
N
Slope:
8 °
Location Data
Observer
IBC
GGC
GPS
No
Latitude Longitude DMS
86° 14' S 147° 03' W
86° 14' S 147° 03' W
Latitude Longitude DD
-86.233 -147.050
-86.233 -147.050
Latitude longitude precision DD
0.008 0.008
0.008 0.008
Locality
Scott Glacier region, southern Trans-antarctic Mountains on the Watson Escarpment
Survey
US Geological Survey 1:250 000 1968, Mount Blackburn
Climate
Soil climate zone:
Inland Mountain
Estimated mean annual temperature:
-35
°C
Frozen ground depth:
50 cm
Frozen type:
Dry frozen over ice-cemented
Frozen comment:
50cm
Geology
Geological setting:
The valley floor moraines are formed by northward down-valley retreat of ice from Long Valley; moraine patterns are complicated by local ice stranding on the valley sides; the oldest valley floor moraine lies in a strip in the centre of the valley; the till composition reflects the geology of local rocks, dominantly granite with some sandstone and dolerite
Patterned ground:
Low subdued nets
Surface weathering or surface features:
Exfoliation and abrasion of upstanding boulders but ventiforms weakly developed; distinct staining on lee sides of some boulders and some weak pitting developed on dolerites; some disaggregation of Beacon Group rocks
Soil
Soil parent material:
Bouldery moraine from granite, dolerite and sandstone
light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) sandy granule to boulder gravel; loose; rock particles angular to subrounded with some weak staining; some clasts distinctly altered; indistinct boundary,
245b
5
–
15
cm
light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) sandy granule to pebbly gravel; loose; rock particles dominantly subangular with some slight alteration; indistinct boundary,
245c
15
–
30
cm
light yellowish brown to pale yellow (2.5Y 6/4 - 7/4) sandy gravel; loose; rock particles subangular and some weak alteration; sharp boundary; on hard ice-cemented ground