In the Edson Hills on the southwest side of the Schanz Glacier; about 1.5km south of Lester Peak; the site is on an old moraine loop on the edge of a high flattish knoll
Altitude:
1250 m
Aspect:
NE
Slope:
3 °
Location Data
Observer
IBC
GGC
GPS
No
Latitude Longitude DMS
79° 49' S 83° 38' W
79° 49' S 83° 38' W
Latitude Longitude DD
-79.817 -83.633
-79.817 -83.633
Latitude longitude precision DD
0.008 0.008
0.008 0.008
Locality
West Antarctica in Ellsworth Land at the southern end of the Ellsworth Mountains
Survey
US Geological Survey, 1:250 000, 1967, Union Glacier
Climate
Soil climate zone:
Inland/Coastal Mountain
Estimated mean annual temperature:
-25
°C
Frozen ground depth:
70 > cm
Frozen type:
Dry frozen
Frozen comment:
>70cm
Geology
Geological setting:
The Ellsworth Mountains comprise a thick sequence of folded metasedimentary rocks comprising limestones, conglomerates and quartzites dating to Precambrian; the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is believed to have fluctuated greatly in response to global sea level changes and evidence of these fluctuations should be present in the tills and soil weathering record; the Edson Hills are predominantly metasedimentary rocks including marble; lower slopes have a more consistent till cover
Patterned ground:
Nil
Surface weathering or surface features:
Surface boulders mainly subangular but with some stain mainly on upper sides; dolerite well stained and a few with weak pitting; boulders upstanding and not reduced; some exfoliation of weathering rhinds; salts beneath some surface rocks
A dry site with no snow drift patches or moisture seen
Biological activity:
Nil observed
Profile Description
Horizon
Depth
Description
473a
-4
–
0
cm
surface pebbles cobbles boulders and granular sand; angular to subangular; moderate surface staining with a few particles distinctly altered; some salts beneath surface clasts,
473b
0
–
2
cm
light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) sandy to silty gravel; loose; pulverulent; a few fine salt flecks; rock particles mainly subangular and non to weakly stained; distinct boundary,
473c
2
–
12
cm
light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) sandy to silty gravel; weakly cohesive; scattered small salt flecks; rock particles mainly subangular and unstained; indistinct boundary,
473d
12
–
25
cm
light yellowish brown to pale yellow (2.5Y 6/4 - 7/4) bouldery sandy to silty gravel; weakly cohesive; a few salt flecks; rock particles subangular and unstained; distinct boundary,
473e
25
–
50
cm
light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) sandy to silty gravel; moderately cohesive; salt flecks scattered and around some stones; rock particles subangular and some weakly stained; distinct boundary;
473f
50
–
65
cm
light yellowish brown to light olive brown (2.5Y 6/4 - 5/6) stony sandy gravel; moderately to firmly cohesive; a few salt aggregations; some small patches of oxidised soil; rock particles mainly subangular and some moderately altered; sharp boundary,