At the southern end of Taylor Ridge, at the upper (eastern end) of a westward sloping terrain comprising a sequence of glacial retreat surfaces of differing age; a shoulder surface
Altitude:
1325 m
Aspect:
W
Slope:
4 °
Location Data
Observer
IBC
GGC
GPS
No
Latitude Longitude DMS
85° 51' S 153° 03' W
85° 51' S 153° 13' W
Latitude Longitude DD
-85.850 -153.050
-85.850 -153.217
Latitude longitude precision DD
0.008 0.008
0.008 0.008
Locality
Scott Glacier region, southern Trans-antarctic Mountains, on the West side of the Robert Scott Glacier, about 40km from the coast
Survey
Mount Goodale
Climate
Soil climate zone:
Coastal Mountain
Estimated mean annual temperature:
-25
°C
Frozen ground depth:
30 > cm
Frozen type:
Frozen comment:
>30cm
Geology
Geological setting:
The local rocks are medium to fine grained granite; thin patchy till overlies bedrock
Patterned ground:
Nil
Surface weathering or surface features:
Distinct staining of surface clasts; thick salt accumulations beneath some rocks; some clasts crumbly but others fresh; most surface clasts well rounded
Soil
Soil parent material:
Thin granitic till with occasional schist over crumbly granite bedrock
No water observed but soils are moist in patches after recent snowfall
Biological activity:
Nil observed
Profile Description
Horizon
Depth
Description
273a
-1
–
0
cm
surface pavement of rounded and stained pebbles and boulders with granular sand exfoliate,
273b
0
–
5
cm
dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sandy gravel with dark grey (2.5 Y N4/) ghosts of schisty rock; moderately cohesive due to salt cementing; salts diffuse and also concentrated as thick encrustations beneath some surface clasts; indistinct boundary
273c
5
–
12
cm
dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4 -3/4) sandy granular gravel; loose to weakly cohesive; weakly developed vesicular structure; many scattered salt flecks; rock particles angular to subrounded and weakly stained; some partly disaggregated; distinct boundary,
273d
20
–
30
cm
light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) granular sandy pebble gravel; moderately cohesive; rock particles angular to subrounded; some partly disaggregated; sharp boundary, on slightly crumbly granite bedrock