Site Information

Site number:
291
Authors:
IBC, GGC
Date recorded:
1970/01/12
Reason Sampled:
Soil weathering examination
Description:
Coastal hills between the Robert Scott Glacier and the Amundsen Glacier; at O'Brien Peak near the top; a rocky surface with small pockets of till between rock outcrops
Altitude:
660 m
Aspect:
Nil
Slope:
0 °
Location Data
Observer IBC GGC
GPS No
Latitude Longitude DMS 85° 28' S 156° 40' W 85° 28' S 156° 40' W
Latitude Longitude DD -85.467 -156.67 -85.467 -156.67
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 2km from the coast west of the Medina Peaks
Survey Mount Goodale

Climate

Soil climate zone:
Coastal Mountain
Estimated mean annual temperature:
-20 °C
Frozen ground depth:
30 > cm
Frozen type:
Frozen comment:
>30cm

Geology

Geological setting:
O'Brien Peak area has a complex and variable sequence of rocks including metasedimentary quartzite, marbles, schists, and granitised sediments
Patterned ground:
Nil
Surface weathering or surface features:
Distinct staining on rock surfaces; some salts beneath surface clasts

Soil

Soil parent material:
Thin sandy gravel till over bedrock
Previous disturbance:
Nil
Soil weathering stage:
6 3 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)
Soil moisture status:
Dry site
Biological activity:
Lichen on adjacent rock outcrop; soil organisms identified in the soil
Profile Description
HorizonDepthDescription
291a -2 – 0 cm surface sandy pebble gravel; rock particles angular with some distinctly stained,
291b 0 – 5 cm light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) sandy to silty pebbly to bouldery gravel; few fine salt flecks; weakly cohesive; weakly developed vesicular structure; rock particles angular and weakly stained; indistinct boundary,
291c 15 – 25 cm light grey (2.5Y 7/2) sandy to silty pebbly to bouldery gravel; moderately cohesive to slightly firm; rock particles angular and unstained; sharp boundary, on rock

Sample Data

Physical Data
Sample nameDepth descriptionTop (cm)Base (cm)Bulk DensityDry Bulk DensityGravimetric MoistureVol. Moisture (BD=2)
291a 2-0cm -2.0 0.0 No
291b 0-5cm 0.0 5.0 No
291c 15-25cm 15.0 25.0 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
291a
291b
291c
Clay Mineralogy
Sample nameMicaIHMHIV - IHMICHLVTHIVCHLSMCHL SMFE - CHLHTQTZFLDHBCALNotes
291a :
291b :
291c :
National Soil Archive Samples
Sample nameNSA Sample IdContainer typeFraction type
291a M22/1612 medium coarse
291a M22/1613 White lid small fine
291a M22/7173 Glass vial metal lid
291b M22/1614 White lid small coarse
291b M22/1615 medium fine
291b M22/7174 Glass vial metal lid
291c M22/1616 medium coarse
291c M22/1617 medium fine
291c M22/7175 Glass vial metal lid

Photos

Photo record:
Loading...