386

Site number:

386

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1977/11/21

Reason Sampled:

Soil weathering examination

Description:

A valley floor moraine surface on a slightly elevated but flat surface

Altitude:

1550 m

Aspect:

Nil

Slope:

0 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Inland Mountain

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-30 °C

Frozen ground depth:

50 cm

Frozen type:

Dry frozen over ice-cemented

Frozen comment:

50cm

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; the upper valley floor deposits probably represent earlier and more extensive cirque glaciation

Patterned ground:

Nil

Surface weathering or surface features:

A well weathered surface; coarse grained dolerite fragmenting and disaggregating; fine grained dolerite clasts with distinctive pitting and marked surface reddening; some surface polish; moderately to strongly developed ventiforms some with distinct pitting,

Soil

Soil parent material:

Predominantly doleritic till, fine and coarse grained dolerite with minor sandstone

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

4/5 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Snow cover from a recent fall with surface moistening to around 1cm

Biological activity:

Nil observed