330

Site number:

330

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1972/11/27

Reason Sampled:

Soil weathering examination

Description:

4.5km N of Taylor Glacier and 250m from the edge of the Rhone Glacier; near the centre of a slightly subdued lateral moraine surface

Altitude:

1355 m

Aspect:

Nil

Slope:

0 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Inland Mountain

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-25 °C

Frozen ground depth:

35 cm

Frozen type:

Stagnant glacial ice

Frozen comment:

35cm

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; although this site is further from the glacier; the soil is still very young

Patterned ground:

Weakly developed hummocky nets indicative of an ice core

Surface weathering or surface features:

Surface rocks mainly subangular to angular, the coarse clasts at the surface do not extend into the soil and form a moderate pavementic horizon; staining on some surface clasts is relict; clast disaggregation is weak

Soil

Soil parent material:

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

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

6 1 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

A dry site some snow lying in patterned ground cracks; recent snow fall has disappeared

Biological activity:

Nil observed