367

Site number:

367

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1972/12/14

Reason Sampled:

Soil weathering examination

Description:

On the S side of McKelvey Valley at its junction with Bull Pass; a bench or high terrace surface on the NE side of Bull Pass; a moderately even surface, somewhat bouldery with shallow sandy gravel depressions

Altitude:

1200 m

Aspect:

N

Slope:

5 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Coastal Mountain

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-24 °C

Frozen ground depth:

35 cm

Frozen type:

Dry frozen

Frozen comment:

35cm

Geology

Geological setting:

Tills in Victoria and McKelvey Valleys are part of a sequence of old glacial deposits; the sequence history is less well known than those of Wright Valley; this surface is a little lower than the Insel Range and could have similar aged soils

Patterned ground:

Non active but some old raised border polygons

Surface weathering or surface features:

Scattered medium boulders rounded with some fragmentation; a moderate pebble pavement in between; dolerite boulders well stained; some pitting and cavernous weathering; granites moderately crumbled; fine grained rocks polished; salts beneath surface stones

Soil

Soil parent material:

Dolerite, sandstone and granite sandy to bouldery gravel till

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

6 4 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Snow patches; thaw from recent snow; soil moistening to 8cm in patches

Biological activity:

Nil observed