On the south side of Taylor Valley, approximately 3.5km SE of the Commonwealth Glacier on a gently sloping gully floor surface alongside Wales Stream; sample from beneath a small moss patch
Altitude:
100 m
Aspect:
Nil
Slope:
0 °
Location Data
Observer
IBC
GGC
GPS
No
Latitude Longitude DMS
77° 36' S 163° 30' E
77° 36' S 163° 30' E
Latitude Longitude DD
-77.600 163.50
-77.600 163.50
Latitude longitude precision DD
0.008 0.08
0.008 0.08
Locality
East end of Taylor Valley, McMurdo Dry Valley region
Survey
USGS 1:50,000 Antarctic Topo. Ser. Lake Fryxell Quadrangle
Climate
Soil climate zone:
Coastal Antarctic
Estimated mean annual temperature:
-20
°C
Frozen ground depth:
4 > cm
Frozen type:
Frozen comment:
>4cm
Geology
Geological setting:
Lower Taylor Valley tills are derived from the Ross Glaciation which originated from the expanded Ross Ice Shelf; the tills contain Kenyite from outside the immediate area; subsequent to the glacial retreat there has been some landform modification by proglacial stream action etc
Patterned ground:
Nil
Surface weathering or surface features:
Nil
Soil
Soil parent material:
Sandy gravel stream sediment from reworked Late last Glaciation till with organic material from moss
A damp site occasionally moistened by running water
Biological activity:
Small moss patches
Profile Description
Horizon
Depth
Description
302a
0 – 4 cm
light brownish grey (2.5Y 6/2) sandy granule and pebble gravel with small moss clumps with hyphae extending 2cm into the soil; loose; rock particles rounded to subrounded and non to weakly stained; a few faint salt precipitations