338

Site number:

338

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1972/12/01

Reason Sampled:

Rock weathering examination

Description:

A flattish surface near My Freya in the Asgard Range; a slightly undulating old surface of dolerite, probably the upper surface of a sill; dolerite outcrops with variable rock weathering

Altitude:

2025 m

Aspect:

Nil

Slope:

0 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Inland Mountain

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-35 °C

Frozen ground depth:

0 cm

Frozen type:

Frozen comment:

Geology

Geological setting:

Planar high level dolerite surfaces cap ridges as narrow ridgetop remnants; and have not been subject to ice sheet glaciation for a very long time; weathering is mainly along joint planes through continual surface oxidation and removal of oxidised rock surfaces by exfoliation; the weathering rhinds vary in thickness

Patterned ground:

Nil

Surface weathering or surface features:

Jointplane fretting with distinct bedrock rounding giving a strong bouldery cobbled land surface appearance; salts on surfces of some clasts; strong but variable surface staining

Soil

Soil parent material:

Dolerite bedrock

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

6

Soil moisture status:

Patchy snow cover; no thaw or soil moistening

Biological activity:

Nil observed