A prominent near level moraine bench surface near the mouth of Koenig Valley; a moderately bouldery surface with boulders upstanding to 75cm; the sample site in near the centre of the surface
Altitude:
1560 m
Aspect:
Nil
Slope:
0 °
Location Data
Observer
IBC
GGC
GPS
No
Latitude Longitude DMS
77° 35.5' S 160° 46.3' E
77° 35.5' S 160° 50' E
Latitude Longitude DD
-77.592 160.7720
-77.592 160.83
Latitude longitude precision DD
0.004 0.0008
0.004 0.08
Locality
Wright Valley at the Western end in the Asgard Range, at the NW end of Koenig Valley, approximately 1.3km NE of Mt Thor
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 on the higher bench surfaces near the valley mouth probably relate early cirque filled ice; there are occasional granite erratics
Patterned ground:
Nil
Surface weathering or surface features:
Surface dolerite boulders subrounded to rounded with some cavernous weathering and exfoliation; strongly stained; some pitting and polish; salts beneath some surface clasts
Snow cover from a recent fall with surface moistening to around 1cm
Biological activity:
Nil observed
Profile Description
Horizon
Depth
Description
387a
-2 – 0 cm
surface cobbles and pebbles (moist); rounded to subrounded, many clasts strongly stained and pitted with some disaggregating; sandstone particles strongly oxidised; a few salt precipitations,
387b
0 – 3 cm
strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) sandy gravel; weakly to moderately cohesive; weakly developed vesicular structure; rock particles mainly subrounded and moderately stained and some moderately altered; salts beneath some stones; indistinct boundary,
387c
3 – 24 cm
strong brown to yellowish red (7.5YR 5/6 - 5YR 5/8) sandy gravel; weakly to moderately cohesive and weakly developed vesicular structure; diffuse patchy salt flecks and around stones; some salts precipitating on the exposed soil pit face; rock particles mainly subrounded and weakly stained but some partly altered; distinct boundary,
387d
24 – 46 cm
brown to dark brown (10YR 4/4) sandy gravel; loose to weakly cohesive; rock particles mainly subangular and unstained but some disaggregating; smaller particles partly altered; sharp boundary,
387e
46 – 49 cm
brown to dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) ice-cemented sandy gravel