532

Site number:

532

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1988/01/07

Reason Sampled:

Soil weathering examination

Description:

Alatna Valley, approximately 5km E of Battleship Promontory; an undulating moraine surface near a knoll; a sand accumulation patch behind a boulder

Altitude:

925 m

Aspect:

Nil

Slope:

0 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Coastal Mountain, xerous to subxerous

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-25 °C

Frozen ground depth:

23 cm

Frozen type:

Hard ice-cemented

Frozen comment:

23cm

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; the soils are very sandy below the bouldery surface; the sand may in part originate from local erosion and become incorporated into the soil through cryic process; multi-layering in the sand indicates variation in environmental conditions

Patterned ground:

Extensive and well developed broad nets with active movement

Surface weathering or surface features:

Dolerite boulders are oxidised and partly disaggregating; finer grained dolerite is strongly stained;

Soil

Soil parent material:

Wind-blown sand

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

6 1/3 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Periodic summer snow falls; some snow in patterned ground cracks but little visible soil moistening

Biological activity:

Nil observed