329

Site number:

329

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1972/11/25

Reason Sampled:

Soil weathering examination

Description:

4.5km N of Taylor Glacier and 20m from the edge of the Rhone Glacier; on the crest of a small hummocky recent lateral moraine that lies about 2m above the Rhone Glacier

Altitude:

1350 m

Aspect:

Nil

Slope:

0 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Inland Mountain

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-25 °C

Frozen ground depth:

15 cm

Frozen type:

Stagnant glacial ice

Frozen comment:

15cm

Geology

Geological setting:

The Rhone Glacier has a series of till deposits that increase in age in a SW direction away from the present glacier position; not far from the glacier edge, the till passes into till-free granite bedrock with well developed cavernous weathering; the weathering sequence suggests that there may have been little fluctuation of the Rhone Glacier from its present position

Patterned ground:

Moderately developed hummocky nets indicative of an ice core

Surface weathering or surface features:

Few to many small to medium surface boulders with cobbles and pebbles; rocks mainly angular so subangular and unstained but pre-weathering on some clasts; negligible current weathering

Soil

Soil parent material:

Ice cored sandy bouldery gravel ablation till from mixed granite, dolerite and sandstone

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

1 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

A dry site but a thin (<1cm) snow fall at the surface which disappeared within 24 hours; no soil moistening; some snow lying in patterned ground cracks

Biological activity:

Nil observed