379

Site number:

379

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1977/11/16

Reason Sampled:

Soil weathering examination

Description:

At the eastern end of the Kukri Hills near the top of Mt Barnes; a rounded knoll a few metres below the crest

Altitude:

980 m

Aspect:

E

Slope:

7 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Coastal Antarctic

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-20 °C

Frozen ground depth:

50 > cm

Frozen type:

Not known

Frozen comment:

>50cm

Geology

Geological setting:

Mt Barnes comprises mainly granitic rock but dark coloured, possibly iron rich, dyke rock intrusives occur in places; in places the soils on these intrusives are strongly coloured

Patterned ground:

Weakly developed small nets with some larger clasts in the cracks

Surface weathering or surface features:

Some granite clasts weakly to moderately cavernously weathered; distinctive rock fragmentation and shattering; distinctive surface rusty brown staining on clasts; some polish and some weak pitting on dark coloured clasts; granites are commonly crumbled

Soil

Soil parent material:

Fragmented dyke rock intrusive within granite bedrock

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

4 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

No local snow patches but some summer soil surface moistening from periodic snow falls; light snow fall at the time of sampling

Biological activity:

Nil observed