437

Site number:

437

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1978/11/19

Reason Sampled:

Soil weathering examination

Description:

The Darwin Mountains, just to the south of the Midnight Plateau on a high knoll, about 1km to the south of the Midnight Plateau ice; a weathered bouldery landscape which is probably weathered bedrock

Altitude:

1600 m

Aspect:

N

Slope:

10 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Central Mountain

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-35 °C

Frozen ground depth:

20 cm

Frozen type:

Hard ice-cemented

Frozen comment:

20cm

Geology

Geological setting:

Rock outcrops on the high ridge are Ferrar Dolerite; the ground surfaces have been exposed following retreat of ice from the Midnight Plateau; the till cover is intermittent and the bouldery dolerite surfaces may be old weathered feldsenmeer possibly with some dolerite till

Patterned ground:

Nil

Surface weathering or surface features:

Surface boulders are well rounded and strongly stained; coarser grained dolerite with minor staining; crumbling and granular disintegration is widespread; extensive joint plane fretting;

Soil

Soil parent material:

Doleritic drift probably formed from accumulation of surface exfoliate

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

6 5 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Scattered small snow patches; no thawing or soil moistening observed; patchy soil crusting suggests occasional surface moistening

Biological activity:

Nil observed