Site Information

Site number:
513
Authors:
IBC, GGC
Date recorded:
1983/01/20
Reason Sampled:
Soil weathering examination
Description:
Approximately .5km W of Battleship Promontory; on a lower altitude moraine surface a gently sloping moraine ridge above a strongly sloping surface
Altitude:
875 m
Aspect:
NW
Slope:
3 °
Location Data
Observer IBC GGC
GPS No
Latitude Longitude DMS 76° 53.9' S 160° 59.4' E 76° 54' S 160° 56' E
Latitude Longitude DD -76.8983 160.9900 -76.900 160.933
Latitude longitude precision DD 0.0008 0.0008 0.008 0.008
Locality Convoy Range, Trans-antarctic Mountains, Alatna valley
Survey

Climate

Soil climate zone:
Central mountain
Estimated mean annual temperature:
-28 °C
Frozen ground depth:
50 > cm
Frozen type:
Dry frozen
Frozen comment:
>50cm

Geology

Geological setting:
Ferrar Dolerite and Beacon Sandstone are the local rocks; the till includes some granite (about 5%) and other basement rock; these are not found up-valley so must have originated from the east
Patterned ground:
Weakly developed to non active
Surface weathering or surface features:
A moderately to strongly developed pavement; occasional upstanding boulders; moderately to strongly developed ventiforms; clasts moderately stained, especially on upper surfaces and finer grained clasts distinctly polished; salts beneath some surface clasts; pitting on fine grained clasts

Soil

Soil parent material:
Dolerite, sandstone and granite stony till; granite is more abundant than at site 512
Previous disturbance:
Nil
Soil weathering stage:
6 4 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)
Soil moisture status:
A north facing face with no snow patches; no soil moistening evident
Biological activity:
Nil observed
Profile Description
HorizonDepthDescription
513a -3 – 0 cm surface sandy cobbly gravel with some small boulders; a well developed pavement; moderately ventiform with distinct up wind abrasion; clasts subrounded and moderately stained,
513b 0 – 6 cm strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) sandy gravel; weakly cohesive; weakly developed vesicular structure; some clasts partly disggregated; salts accumulated around disaggregating clasts; larger rock particles subangular weakly stained and some weakly altered; smaller particles rounded to subrounded; distinct boundary,
513c 6 – 20 cm dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) sandy gravel; moderately to firmly cohesive and salt cemented; abundant salts; some ghosts and some partly disaggregated clasts; larger rock particles mainly angular to subangular and unstained; smaller particles rounded to subrounded; distinct boundary,
513d 20 – 35 cm dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) sandy gravel; weakly cohesive; scattered salt flecks with some on rock faces; larger rock particles angular to subangular with some weakly stained, smaller particles rounded to subrounded; distinct boundary,
513e 35 – 50 cm yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy gravel; loose; a few fine salt flecks; larger rock particles angular to subangular and unstained; smaller particles subrounded; sharp boundary, on ice-cemented ground

Sample Data

Physical Data
Sample nameDepth descriptionTop (cm)Base (cm)Bulk DensityDry Bulk DensityGravimetric MoistureVol. Moisture (BD=2)
513a 3-0cm -3.0 0.0 No
513b 0-6cm 0.0 6.0 No
513c 6-20cm 6.0 20.0 No
513d 20-35cm 20.0 35.0 No
513e 35-50cm 35.0 50.0 No
Sample solution chemistry
Sample namepHNa meq/100gCa meq/100gMg meq/100gK meq/100gCl meq/100gSO4 meq/100gNO3 meq/100gEC mmho/cmSoluble SaltNotes
513a                      
513b 7.24 6.0 5.0 3.0 0.04 0.01 10.1 2.9 2.11 .  
513c 7.64 8.4 4.6 4.8 0.06 2.9 12.5 3.7 2.6 .  
513d 7.61 33.5 2.6 5.1 0.1 0.01 39.6 4.9 6.35 .  
513e 7.59 5.7 3.2 1.9 0.07 0.01 6.2 1.8 1.19 .  
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
513a
513b 40.0 32.0 14.0 4.0 2.0 4.0 4.0 0.24 .
513c 59.0 25.0 9.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 3.0 0.11 .
513d 61.0 18.0 8.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 0.13 .
513e 53.0 25.0 10.0 3.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 0.15 .
Clay Mineralogy
Sample nameMicaIHMHIV - IHMICHLVTHIVCHLSMCHL SMFE - CHLHTQTZFLDHBCALNotes
513a :
513b 80.0 . . . 20.0 . . . . . . . . . :
513c 65.0 . . . 15.0 . . . . 5.0 . 5.0 10.0 . :
513d 60.0 . . . . 5.0 5.0 . . 5.0 . 5.0 20.0 . :
513e 55.0 . . . 10.0 10.0 5.0 . . 10.0 . 5.0 15.0 . :
National Soil Archive Samples
Sample nameNSA Sample IdContainer typeFraction type
513a M22/3697 medium coarse
513a M22/7911 Glass vial metal lid
513b M22/3748 medium coarse
513b M22/3749 White lid small fine
513b M22/7912 Glass vial metal lid
513c M22/3750 medium coarse
513c M22/3751 White lid small fine
513c M22/7913 Glass vial metal lid
513d M22/3752 White lid small coarse
513d M22/3753 White lid small fine
513d M22/7914 Glass vial metal lid
513e M22/3754 medium coarse
513e M22/3755 White lid small fine
513e M22/7915 Glass vial metal lid

Photos

Photo record:
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