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 295 but without a lichen cover
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:
15 > cm
Frozen type:
Frozen comment:
>15cm
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
Soil
Soil parent material:
Thin till cover with granitic bedrock; granitic till with some feldsitic rocks
The soils are very moist from thawing snow patches
Biological activity:
Black lichen and soil micro-organisms identified in soils nearby but no lichen at the soil surface at this adjacent site
Profile Description
Horizon
Depth
Description
296a
0 – 1 cm
yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) granular sandy gravel; moist; loose; rock particles angular to subangular and strongly stained; distinct boundary,
296b
1 – 4 cm
yellowish brown (10YR 5/40 granular gravel; weakly cohesive; weakly developed vesicular structure; rock particles subangular and strongly stained; distinct boundary,
296c
4 – 15 cm
yellowish brown (10YR 5/4); moist; moderately cohesive; rock particles subangular and strongly stained