Site Information

Site number:
509
Authors:
IBC, GGC
Date recorded:
1983/01/19
Reason Sampled:
Soil weathering examination
Description:
Approximately 4.5km SW of Battleship Promontory and 150m north of an un-named ice tongue; a young moraine surface; an even slope 50m from a ridge crest
Altitude:
1575 m
Aspect:
NW
Slope:
7 °
Location Data
Observer IBC GGC
GPS No
Latitude Longitude DMS 76° 55.5' S 160° 50' E 76° 56.5' S 160° 45' E
Latitude Longitude DD -76.925 160.83 -76.942 160.75
Latitude longitude precision DD 0.004 0.08 0.004 0.04
Locality Convoy Range, Trans-antarctic Mountains, Alatna valley
Survey

Climate

Soil climate zone:
Central mountain
Estimated mean annual temperature:
-30 °C
Frozen ground depth:
25 cm
Frozen type:
Hard ice-cemented
Frozen comment:
25cm

Geology

Geological setting:
Ferrar Dolerite forms extensive sills and the till appears to be derived from the local dolerite; with increasing distance from the ice front, soil weathering increases
Patterned ground:
Weakly developed nets with <20cm troughs
Surface weathering or surface features:
Some boulders up to 1.5m but most 20-40cm; some slight ventifaction; weak polish and weak to moderate staining; a moderately developed pavement; salts beneath some surface clasts

Soil

Soil parent material:
Doleritic till, probably partly pre-weathered
Previous disturbance:
Nil
Soil weathering stage:
6 3 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)
Soil moisture status:
The site is dry with no adjacent snow patches
Biological activity:
Nil observed
Profile Description
HorizonDepthDescription
509a -3 – 0 cm surface cobbles and boulders; weakly weathered and mainly angular; some salts beneath some clasts,
509b 0 – 3 cm yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) sandy gravel; loose; a few fine salt flecks; rock particles angular to subangular; weakly to moderately stained and some partly altered; distinct boundary,
509c 3 – 25 cm yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) sandy gravel; weakly cohesive; weakly frosted; some diffuse salts; rock particles mainly angular to subangular, non to weakly stained but a few partly altered; sharp boundary, on ice-cemented ground

Sample Data

Physical Data
Sample nameDepth descriptionTop (cm)Base (cm)Bulk DensityDry Bulk DensityGravimetric MoistureVol. Moisture (BD=2)
509a 3-0cm -3.0 0.0 No
509b 0-3cm 0.0 3.0 No
509c 3-25cm 3.0 25.0 No
Sample solution chemistry
Sample namepHNa meq/100gCa meq/100gMg meq/100gK meq/100gCl meq/100gSO4 meq/100gNO3 meq/100gEC mmho/cmSoluble SaltNotes
509a                      
509b 6.46 0.49 0.12 0.12 0.02 0.01 0.33 0.2 0.09 .  
509c 6.65 3.9 3.8 1.1 0.03 0.01 6.6 1.2 0.92 .  
Particle size distribution
Sample name< 2 mm2 - 0.5 mm0.5 - 0.25 mm0.25 - 0.1 mm0.1 - 0.05 mm0.05 - 0.02 mm0.02 - 0.002 mm< 0.002 mmFe2O3CaCO3Notes
509a
509b 74.0 15.0 5.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.0 0.2 .
509c 68.0 19.0 6.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.0 0.22 .
Clay Mineralogy
Sample nameMicaIHMHIV - IHMICHLVTHIVCHLSMCHL SMFE - CHLHTQTZFLDHBCALNotes
509a :
509b disordered mica-smectite:FLD=tr:
509c disordered mica-smectite:FLD=tr:
National Soil Archive Samples
Sample nameNSA Sample IdContainer typeFraction type
509a M22/3664 medium coarse
509a M22/3665 White lid small fine
509a M22/7894 Glass vial metal lid
509b M22/3666 medium coarse
509b M22/3667 White lid small fine
509b M22/7895 Glass vial metal lid
509c M22/3668 medium coarse
509c M22/3669 White lid small fine
509c M22/7896 Glass vial metal lid

Photos

Photo record:
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