Brown Peaks on the eastern side of the Amundsen Glacier, at the northern end; from a site on the ridge crest; the site is adjacent to site 294
Altitude:
910 m
Aspect:
Nil
Slope:
0 °
Location Data
Observer
IBC
GGC
GPS
No
Latitude Longitude DMS
85° 33' S 157° 50' W
85° 33' S 157° 50' W
Latitude Longitude DD
-85.550 -157.83
-85.550 -157.83
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 12km 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:
20 > cm
Frozen type:
Frozen comment:
>20cm
Geology
Geological setting:
The area has a complex and variable sequence of rocks including metasedimentary quartzite, marbles, schists, and granitised sediments; the rocks at this site are dominantly granitic
Patterned ground:
Surface weathering or surface features:
Surface rocks are strongly oxidised and well stained; also crumbly; some local solifluction; weathering may be relict
The soils are very moist from thawing snow patches
Biological activity:
Black lichen growing abundantly on rock and soil surfaces Soil sampled underneath lichen occurrence
Profile Description
Horizon
Depth
Description
295a
0
–
1
cm
yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) granular sandy gravel; moderately cohesive; moderately developed vesicular structure; many black lichen clusters on the soil surface with hyphae through the soil; rock particles strongly stained and subangular; distinct boundary,
295b
1
–
4
cm
yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy granular pebble to boulder gravel; loose; rock particles strongly stained and angular; indistinct boundary,
295c
5
–
20
cm
yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) granular pebble to boulder gravel; loose; sharp boundary; on bedrock