357

Site number:

357

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1972/12/08

Reason Sampled:

Soil weathering examination

Description:

On the floor of Wright Valley, in the South Fork at Don Juan Pond; the sample site is near the eastern side; a flat dry surface with occasional medium boulders

Altitude:

175 m

Aspect:

Nil

Slope:

0 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Central Mountain

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-23 °C

Frozen ground depth:

30 cm

Frozen type:

Hard ice-cemented

Frozen comment:

30cm

Geology

Geological setting:

Don Juan Pond is a saline calcium chloride enriched hollow which varies in wetness; at this site, a pebble to boulder surface cover overlies laminated sandy sediment; this may represent ice fluctuations and ice marginal sedimentation activity

Patterned ground:

Nil

Surface weathering or surface features:

A well developed pebble and cobble pavement with occasional boulders, clasts resting on sandy sediment; the boulders are rounded; weakly ventiform surface

Soil

Soil parent material:

Thin gravelly drift over fluvially sorted sediment

Previous disturbance:

Nil at site; the area was examined previously by many people

Soil weathering stage:

6

Soil moisture status:

Soil surface dry

Biological activity:

Nil observed