435

Site number:

435

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1978/11/16

Reason Sampled:

Soil weathering examination

Description:

To the north of an un-named peak (Pk 2421) to the SE of Turnstile Ridge and west of the head of the Hatherton Glacier on the moraine covered floor of a big basin; a valley floor moraine to the SE of the basin glacier; a weakly undulating, moderately bouldery moraine surface with patches of bedrock protruding

Altitude:

2125 m

Aspect:

Nil

Slope:

0 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Inland Mountain

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-40 °C

Frozen ground depth:

70 cm

Frozen type:

Dry frozen over ice-cemented

Frozen comment:

70cm

Geology

Geological setting:

Ferrar Dolerite outcrops on the high surfaces; the soils on the high surfaces show significant weathering and the tills on the lower surfaces probably include much reworked and pre weathered material; on the northern slopes of the basin, the till deposits are probably old cirque moraines; this moraine may be a little younger as indicated by weathering features

Patterned ground:

Nil

Surface weathering or surface features:

A moderately developed gravel pavement with scattered cobbles and a few boulders; coarser grained dolerite strongly exfoliating; some finer clasts weakly to moderately pitted; some moderate ventiforms; some clasts strongly polished; some salts beneath surface stones

Soil

Soil parent material:

Sandy bouldery gravel till from dolerite

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

6 5 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Small patches of snow but no thaw or soil moistening

Biological activity:

Nil observed