399

Site number:

399

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1977/11/27

Reason Sampled:

Soil weathering examination

Description:

On slightly a slightly hummocky broad moraine surface forming a low ridge at the mouth of Jotunheim Valley, approximately 5km ENE of Oliver Peak; the site is near the crest of the broad ridge

Altitude:

5025 m

Aspect:

Nil

Slope:

0 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Central Mountain

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-28 °C

Frozen ground depth:

55 cm

Frozen type:

Dry frozen over hard ice-cemented

Frozen comment:

55

Geology

Geological setting:

Local outcrops are dominated by Beacon Sandstone and Ferrar Dolerite; glacial sequences are similar to other alpine of the Asgard Range with old sequences of local alpine valley glaciers dominated by sandstone and dolerite; the valley mouth till (Asgard Till) includes granitic rocks and other unidentified crystalline rocks indicating a non local source

Patterned ground:

Broad inactive patterned ground nets

Surface weathering or surface features:

A dominantly cobble and small boulder surface with very few larger upstanding boulders; slight to moderate pitting and some polish on fine grained clasts; some disaggregation of coarse grained clasts; moderately developed ventiforms; salts beneath some surface clasts

Soil

Soil parent material:

Sandstone and dolerite till with minor granitic and other crystalline components

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

4 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Patchy snow cover from recent falls; some thaw with patchy soil moistening

Biological activity:

Nil observed