Site Information

Site number:
382
Authors:
IBC, GGC
Date recorded:
1977/11/21
Reason Sampled:
Soil weathering examination
Description:
On the youngest moraine associated with a valley head cirque ice tongue in Koenig Valley; a coarse bouldery and gently sloping uneven surface with a thin till cover over ice
Altitude:
1675 m
Aspect:
W
Slope:
6 °
Location Data
Observer IBC GGC
GPS No
Latitude Longitude DMS 77° 36.6' S 160° 44' E 77° 36.6' S 160° 44' E
Latitude Longitude DD -77.6100 160.733 -77.6100 160.733
Latitude longitude precision DD 0.0008 0.008 0.0008 0.008
Locality Wright Valley at the Western end in the Asgard Range, at the SW end of Koenig Valley, approximately 1km SSE of Mt Thor
Survey USGS, Antarctica 1:50,000 Topo. Ser. 1977 Labyrinth Antarctica

Climate

Soil climate zone:
Inland Mountain
Estimated mean annual temperature:
-30 °C
Frozen ground depth:
5 cm
Frozen type:
Stagnant ice
Frozen comment:
5cm

Geology

Geological setting:
The Asgard Range is comprised of Beacon Sandstone and Ferrar Dolerite; the landscape is ancient with the high altitude valley cirques cut in pre Miocene time; subsequent glaciation has been restricted mainly to valley head cirque type activity; the glacial deposits represent accumulations of local head wall materials which have probably been weathered in place before incorporation into local glaciers
Patterned ground:
Nil
Surface weathering or surface features:
Surface clasts mainly angular to subangular with distinct surface staining

Soil

Soil parent material:
Dolerite in coarse clasts (up to 1.5m) that have been pre weathered with some sandstone fragments
Previous disturbance:
Nil
Soil weathering stage:
1 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)
Soil moisture status:
Recent 3 cm snowfall with some thawing and water films on rock surfaces
Biological activity:
Nil observed
Profile Description
HorizonDepthDescription
382a -2 – 0 cm surface boulders, cobbles and granular gravel; subrounded and mostly distinctly stained; many smaller particles are distinctly altered,
382b 0 – 5 cm dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) bouldery gravel; loose; smaller particles mainly subangular and many strongly stained and moderately altered; sharp boundary,
382c 5 – 10 cm dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) bouldery gravel; ice cemented; rock particles subangular and many distinctly stained and moderately altered

Sample Data

Physical Data
Sample nameDepth descriptionTop (cm)Base (cm)Bulk DensityDry Bulk DensityGravimetric MoistureVol. Moisture (BD=2)
382a 2-0cm -2.0 0.0 No
382b 0-5cm 0.0 5.0 No
382c 5-10cm 5.0 10.0 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
382a
382b
382c
Clay Mineralogy
Sample nameMicaIHMHIV - IHMICHLVTHIVCHLSMCHL SMFE - CHLHTQTZFLDHBCALNotes
382a :
382b :
382c :
National Soil Archive Samples
Sample nameNSA Sample IdContainer typeFraction type
382a M22/2062 medium coarse
382a M22/7407 Glass vial metal lid
382b M22/2063 medium coarse
382b M22/2064 medium fine
382b M22/7408 Glass vial metal lid
382c M22/2065 White lid small coarse
382c M22/2066 White lid small fine
382c M22/7409 Glass vial metal lid

Photos

Photo record:
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