323

Site number:

323

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1972/11/23

Reason Sampled:

Soil weathering examination

Description:

Near a dolerite knoll, about 1km W of the Rhone Glacier and 4.5km S of Taylor Glacier; a residual well weathered dolerite surface with scattered rounded bedrock outcrops separated by small flattish surfaces in between

Altitude:

1550 m

Aspect:

Nil

Slope:

0 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Inland Mountain

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-27 °C

Frozen ground depth:

25 > cm

Frozen type:

Dry frozen

Frozen comment:

>25cm

Geology

Geological setting:

Higher altitude surfaces west of the Rhone Glacier are very old and show strong weathering; bedrock ventiforms are present with exfoliation and wind removal of up to 1m of bedrock; erratics are absent indicating there has been no ice cover for a long time; there are local occurrences of Beacon Sandstone

Patterned ground:

Nil

Surface weathering or surface features:

Surface dolerite boulders are probably bedrock and are well rounded; fine textured dolerite is distinctly pitted; coarse dolerite shows, surface exfoliation; distinct surface staining

Soil

Soil parent material:

Weathering dolerite bedrock with airborne inclusion of siliceous material from Beacon Sandstone

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

6 4/5 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Dry soil but some snow patches nearby; soil is probably moistened occasionally

Biological activity:

Nil observed