Site Information

Site number:
278
Authors:
IBC, GGC
Date recorded:
1970/01/03
Reason Sampled:
Soil weathering examination
Description:
At the southern end of Taylor Ridge, at the lower (western end) of a westward sloping terrain comprising a sequence of glacial retreat surfaces of differing age; a low level surface with bare areas separated by large snow patches, approximately 50m above the basin ice sheet
Altitude:
1075 m
Aspect:
W
Slope:
18 °
Location Data
Observer IBC GGC
GPS No
Latitude Longitude DMS 85° 51' S 153° 10' W 85° 51' S 153° 10' W
Latitude Longitude DD -85.850 -153.17 -85.850 -153.17
Latitude longitude precision DD 0.008 0.08 0.008 0.08
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:
15 cm
Frozen type:
Ice-cemented
Frozen comment:
15cm

Geology

Geological setting:
The local rocks are medium to fine grained granite but the till contains some dolerite and gneiss indicating a more distant source; this site at the lowest altitude is the most recently exposed glacial retreat surface
Patterned ground:
Nil
Surface weathering or surface features:
Some surface staining of bedrock exposures

Soil

Soil parent material:
Thin gravelly till
Previous disturbance:
Nil
Soil weathering stage:
2 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)
Soil moisture status:
No water observed, snow patches nearby which probably thaw
Biological activity:
Nil observed
Profile Description
HorizonDepthDescription
278a -3 – 0 cm surface granules, pebbles and some boulders; subangular to subrounded and weakly stained,
278b 7 – 15 cm pale olive (5Y 6/3) sandy granular to boulder gravel; weakly cohesive; moderately developed vesicular structure; rock particles subangular and dominantly unstained; sharp boundary, on ice cemented ground

Sample Data

Physical Data
Sample nameDepth descriptionTop (cm)Base (cm)Bulk DensityDry Bulk DensityGravimetric MoistureVol. Moisture (BD=2)
278a 3-0cm -3.0 0.0 No
278b 7-15cm 7.0 15.0 No
Particle size distribution
Sample name< 2 mm2 - 0.5 mm0.5 - 0.25 mm0.25 - 0.1 mm0.1 - 0.05 mm0.05 - 0.02 mm0.02 - 0.002 mm< 0.002 mmFe2O3CaCO3Notes
278a
278b
Clay Mineralogy
Sample nameMicaIHMHIV - IHMICHLVTHIVCHLSMCHL SMFE - CHLHTQTZFLDHBCALNotes
278a :
278b :
National Soil Archive Samples
Sample nameNSA Sample IdContainer typeFraction type
278a M22/1518 medium coarse
278a M22/1519 White lid small fine
278a M22/7139 Glass vial metal lid
278b M22/1520 White lid small coarse
278b M22/1521 medium fine
278b M22/7140 Glass vial metal lid

Photos

Photo record:
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