Site Information

Site number:
371
Authors:
IBC, GGC
Date recorded:
1972/12/18
Reason Sampled:
Soil biological examination
Description:
Near the crater rim at the summit of Mt Erebus on the West side; a patch of warm ground
Altitude:
3750 m
Aspect:
W
Slope:
0 °
Location Data
Observer IBC GGC
GPS No
Latitude Longitude DMS 77° 31.5' S 167° 06' E 77° 31.5' S 167° 06' E
Latitude Longitude DD -77.525 167.100 -77.525 167.100
Latitude longitude precision DD 0.004 0.008 0.004 0.008
Locality Ross Island, Mt Erebus
Survey USGS 1:250 000 Ross Island and Vicinity 1986

Climate

Soil climate zone:
Coastal Mountain
Site temperature profile
Depth (cm)Soil temp (°C)Notes
0 10 nd
Estimated mean annual temperature:
-40 °C
Frozen ground depth:
0 cm
Frozen type:
Thermally heated ground
Frozen comment:

Geology

Geological setting:
Mt Erebus is an active volcano with a lava crater which periodically has mild eruptions; the volcano has a distinctive petrology with kenyite, an olivine bearing phonolite with large phenocrysts; thermally heated ground is common on the upper slopes and possibly provides a habitat for some soil biological species
Patterned ground:
Nil
Surface weathering or surface features:
Soil is unweathered but the surface has a coating of sulphur

Soil

Soil parent material:
Kenyite volcanic ejecta, ash and rock
Previous disturbance:
Nil
Soil weathering stage:
6 1 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)
Soil moisture status:
Moist soil, many adjacent snow patches
Biological activity:
Nil observed; results of biological examination not reported
Profile Description
HorizonDepthDescription
371a 0 – 5 cm black sandy gravel; loose; surface sulphur precipitation; moist

Sample Data

Physical Data
Sample nameDepth descriptionTop (cm)Base (cm)Bulk DensityDry Bulk DensityGravimetric MoistureVol. Moisture (BD=2)
371a 0-5cm 0.0 5.0 No
Particle size distribution
Sample name< 2 mm2 - 0.5 mm0.5 - 0.25 mm0.25 - 0.1 mm0.1 - 0.05 mm0.05 - 0.02 mm0.02 - 0.002 mm< 0.002 mmFe2O3CaCO3Notes
371a
Clay Mineralogy
Sample nameMicaIHMHIV - IHMICHLVTHIVCHLSMCHL SMFE - CHLHTQTZFLDHBCALNotes
371a :

Photos

Photo record:
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