441

Site number:

441

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; the site is in a slight hollow in an undulating broad ridge terrain; the hollow is a small depression 3-4m deep and may have been a previously wet hollow

Altitude:

1575 m

Aspect:

Nil

Slope:

0 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Central Mountain

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-35 °C

Frozen ground depth:

45 > cm

Frozen type:

Dry-frozen

Frozen comment:

>45cm

Geology

Geological setting:

Rock outcrops on the area are Ferrar Dolerite; the ground surfaces have been exposed following retreat of ice from the Midnight Plateau; close to the ice edge, the soils appear less weathered but distinct successional surfaces marking ice retreat are not present; with increasing distance away from the ice front, soil weathering increases

Patterned ground:

Nil

Surface weathering or surface features:

Surface boulders and cobbles are rounded and strongly stained; many are polished; exfoliation on many clasts; a well developed granular cobbly gravel pavement with subdued boulders; salts are present beneath some surface clasts

Soil

Soil parent material:

Till predominantly from dolerite with some sandstone

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

6 4 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

The surface is snow-free; no soil moistening observed

Biological activity:

Nil observed