495

Site number:

495

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1983/01/12

Reason Sampled:

Soil characterisation

Description:

Approximately 11km WSW of Larsen Crag, on an extensive bench-like surface at the head of Northwind Glacier valley; the site is a moist salty depression with an outcrop of sandstone; there are extensive surface salt encrustations on an uneven surface

Altitude:

1400 m

Aspect:

Nil

Slope:

0 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Central mountain

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-28 °C

Frozen ground depth:

25 > cm

Frozen type:

Frozen comment:

>25cm

Geology

Geological setting:

Dolerite and Beacon Group sandstones outcrop in the area; dolerite is extensive on the bench surface and outcrops with a regolith of bouldery felsenmeer or thin patchy drift; where the drift mantle has been removed or is thin, sandstone outcrops

Patterned ground:

Nil

Surface weathering or surface features:

Surface boulders in the hollow are commonly crumbly but unoxidised; at the edge of the hollow where the soil is dry, they are stained and well oxidised; salt precipitations at the surface vary from thin to thick encrustations

Soil

Soil parent material:

Siliceous sands from Beacon Group sediments, with scattered residual dolerite at the surface

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

6 4 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Xerous to subxerous; in the salty hollow, the soils were moist to the surface with free water at 25cm; the hollow is partially snow-filled and water is probably derived from thawing of this snow

Biological activity:

Nil observed