385

Site number:

385

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1977/11/21

Reason Sampled:

Soil weathering examination

Description:

An older moraine surface at a lower elevation on an uneven, slightly sloping surface

Altitude:

1550 m

Aspect:

N

Slope:

3 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Inland Mountain

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-30 °C

Frozen ground depth:

8 cm

Frozen type:

hard ice-cemented

Frozen comment:

8cm

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; the moraine sequence is complex

Patterned ground:

Weakly developed nets

Surface weathering or surface features:

Surface boulders moderately rounded many clasts strongly oxidised; well developed pitting on some clasts on both upper and lower surfaces

Soil

Soil parent material:

Doleritic till, shallow over ice-cemented ground

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

4 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Recent 3 cm snowfall with some thawing and water films on rock surfaces and some moistening of the soil surface

Biological activity:

Nil observed