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 °
Location Data
Observer
IBC
GGC
GPS
No
Latitude Longitude DMS
77° 37.7' S 163° 35' E
77° 37.8' S 163° 35' E
Latitude Longitude DD
-77.6283 163.58
-77.6300 163.58
Latitude longitude precision DD
0.0008 0.04
0.0008 0.04
Locality
Taylor Valley, eastern end near the coast
Survey
USGS, Antarctica 1:50,000 Topo. Ser. 1977, Lake Fryxell, Antarctica
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
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
Profile Description
Horizon
Depth
Description
379a
-1
–
0
cm
surface pebbles, granules and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) sandy gravel; pebbles angular and tabular and unstained but some weakly altered,
379b
0
–
5
cm
strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) sandy pebble and cobble gravel; loose; few fine salt flecks; rock particles angular, distinctly stained and some partly altered; a few clay-like aggregates; indistinct boundary,
379c
5
–
10
cm
strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) sandy gravel; weakly cohesive; few to many diffuse salts; rock particles angular and some distinctly altered; rock particles angular and some stained; a few clay-like aggregates; indistinct boundary,
379d
10
–
30
cm
strong brown (7.5YR 5/6 - 5/8) sandy to silty gravel; weakly cohesive; rock particles angular to subangular and some distinctly altered; indistinct boundary,