Site Information

Site number:
300
Authors:
IBC, GGC
Date recorded:
1970/01/15
Reason Sampled:
Soil weathering examination
Description:
McDonald Nunataks at the extreme north and east side of the Amundsen Glacier on a low recently exposed till surface towards the eastern end; a flat knoll
Altitude:
300 m
Aspect:
Nil
Slope:
0 °
Location Data
Observer IBC GGC
GPS No
Latitude Longitude DMS 85° 28' S 157° 30' W 85° 28' S 157° 30' W
Latitude Longitude DD -85.467 -157.50 -85.467 -157.50
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 1km from the coast and east 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:
Ice cemented
Frozen comment:
30cm

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 granite and marble
Patterned ground:
Moderately developed small nets
Surface weathering or surface features:
Surface rocks unweathered; salt precipitations on the soil surface

Soil

Soil parent material:
recent till from granite and marble; micaceous granite
Previous disturbance:
Nil
Soil weathering stage:
6 1 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)
Soil moisture status:
The whole soil is moist
Biological activity:
Black lichens and other lichen species in vicinity
Profile Description
HorizonDepthDescription
300a 0 – 3 cm light grey (5Y 7/1) pebbly gravel; moist; weakly cohesive; weakly developed vesicular structure; some surface salt efflorescences; rock particles angular to subangular and unstained; indistinct boundary,
300b 3 – 10 cm light grey (5Y 7/1) pebbly gravel; moist; moderately cohesive; moderately developed vesicular structure; rock particles angular and unstained; distinct boundary,
300c 15 – 30 cm light grey (5Y 7/10 pebbly sandy silty gravel; moist; slightly sticky; sharp boundary, on ice-cemented ground

Sample Data

Physical Data
Sample nameDepth descriptionTop (cm)Base (cm)Bulk DensityDry Bulk DensityGravimetric MoistureVol. Moisture (BD=2)
300a 0-3cm 0.0 3.0 No
300b 3-10cm 3.0 10.0 No
300c 10-30cm 10.0 30.0 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
300a
300b
300c
Clay Mineralogy
Sample nameMicaIHMHIV - IHMICHLVTHIVCHLSMCHL SMFE - CHLHTQTZFLDHBCALNotes
300a :
300b :
300c :
National Soil Archive Samples
Sample nameNSA Sample IdContainer typeFraction type
300a M22/1649 White lid small coarse
300a M22/1650 medium fine
300a M22/7191 Glass vial metal lid
300b M22/1651 medium coarse
300b M22/1652 medium fine
300b M22/7192 Glass vial metal lid
300c M22/1653 medium coarse
300c M22/1654 White lid small fine
300c M22/7193 Glass vial metal lid

Photos

Photo record:
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