494

Site number:

494

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1983/01/11

Reason Sampled:

Soil characterisation

Description:

On the SW part of the Elkhorn Ridge and at the Northern end of a very broad, upland, strongly undulating plateau which was probably part of a more enlarged Cambridge Glacier ice-sheet surface; the upland surface has a mammillated overridden appearance with many small snow/ice accumulations behaving as local glaciers; the site is on an old uneven bouldery felsenmeer surface

Altitude:

1600 m

Aspect:

Nil

Slope:

0 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Central mountain

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-29 °C

Frozen ground depth:

20 cm

Frozen type:

Hard ice cemented

Frozen comment:

20cm

Geology

Geological setting:

Dolerite sills are extensive on the upper plateau and ridge surfaces and cap most of the ridges; the surface was probably overridden by a previously expanded Polar Plateau ice sheet and has become exposed with it's subsequent retreat; extensive rubbly deposits of doleritic material are probably felsenmeer deposits formed by prolonged ice wedging processes

Patterned ground:

Surface weathering or surface features:

Many upstanding surface boulders are strongly and deeply pitted on their upper surfaces; boulder are extensive at the surface and vary from subangular to subrounded and weakly to strongly stained

Soil

Soil parent material:

Frost accumulated fragmented dolerite

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

6 5 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Xerous, extensive cover of snow but no thawing

Biological activity:

Nil observed