345

Site number:

345

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1972/12/02

Reason Sampled:

Soil weathering examination

Description:

South side of the Labyrinth, upper Wright Valley, approximately 0.5km SE of the SE corner of the Wright Upper Glacier; on a lateral moraine surface about 100m above the Labyrinth surface; a smooth but gently sloping terrace or bench-like surface about 10m from the escarpment edge

Altitude:

950 m

Aspect:

W

Slope:

4 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Central Mountain

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-24 °C

Frozen ground depth:

18 cm

Frozen type:

Hard ice-cemented

Frozen comment:

18cm

Geology

Geological setting:

The Labyrinth has a negligible till cover with the Wright Upper Glacier carrying only occasional supraglacial boulders; in a more extended form more debris was probably carried as lateral drift; this lateral moraine gives an indication of the former extent and age of previous advances or retreat stages of the Wright Upper Glacier

Patterned ground:

Weakly developed broad nets

Surface weathering or surface features:

Scattered surface boulders from 1-4m showing some abrasion weak exfoliation and granular disintegration and weak ventiforms; boulders upstanding to 50cm; a close packed cobble and boulder pavement but weakly deflated; slight to moderate surface staining; some weathering may be inherited

Soil

Soil parent material:

Dolerite/sandstone bouldery sandy till; one schistose rock observed; the till may include much reworked material from the older adjacent landscapes

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

3 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

A dry site but some small scattered snow patches

Biological activity:

Nil observed