Site Information

Site number:
528
Authors:
IBC, GGC
Date recorded:
1988/01/06
Reason Sampled:
Biological examination
Description:
Approximately 4km east of Battleship Promontory; at the edge of a small pond the samples were collected at 25m intervals from near the edge of the pond
Altitude:
925 m
Aspect:
Nil
Slope:
0 °
Location Data
Observer IBC GGC
GPS No
Latitude Longitude DMS 76° 53' S 161° 08' E 76° 53' S 161° 08' E
Latitude Longitude DD -76.883 161.133 -76.883 161.133
Latitude longitude precision DD 0.008 0.008 0.008 0.008
Locality Convoy Range, Transantarctic Mountains; Alatna Valley
Survey Ross Island & Vicinity, Antarctica, 1:250 000 US Geological Survey, 1986

Climate

Soil climate zone:
Coastal Mountain, xerous to subxerous
Estimated mean annual temperature:
-25 °C
Frozen ground depth:
0 cm
Frozen type:
Frozen comment:

Geology

Geological setting:
Alatna Valley has formed through ice recession from the Benson Glacier and ice from Staten Island Heights; the local rocks are extensive Beacon Sandstone outcrops capped with Ferrar Dolerite; till is extensive on the valley floor and includes granite from near the coast
Patterned ground:
Nil
Surface weathering or surface features:
A largely bouldery surface with many boulders upstanding, slightly rounded and partly stained

Soil

Soil parent material:
Bouldery till with minor sorting from water level fluctuations
Previous disturbance:
Nil
Soil weathering stage:
6
Soil moisture status:
Moist adjacent to the pond, dry further away; adjacent extensive snow patches are probably the source of the pond waters
Biological activity:
Cyanobacterial mats extensive at the pond edge becoming less abundant with increasing distance
Profile Description
HorizonDepthDescription
528a 0 – 5 cm adjacent to the edge of the pond; moist sandy gravel with dried cyanobacterial material,
528b 0 – 5 cm 25m from the pond edge; moist sandy gravel with dried cyanobacterial material,
528c 0 – 5 cm 50m from the pond; sandy gravel; some cyanobacterial material
528d 0 – 5 cm 75m from the pond; sandy gravel

Sample Data

Physical Data
Sample nameDepth descriptionTop (cm)Base (cm)Bulk DensityDry Bulk DensityGravimetric MoistureVol. Moisture (BD=2)
528a 0-5cm 0.0 5.0 No
528b 0-5cm 0.0 5.0 No
528c 0-5cm 0.0 5.0 No
528d 0-5cm 0.0 5.0 No
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
528a
528b
528c
528d
Clay Mineralogy
Sample nameMicaIHMHIV - IHMICHLVTHIVCHLSMCHL SMFE - CHLHTQTZFLDHBCALNotes
528a :
528b :
528c :
528d :

Photos

Photo record:
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