557

Site number:

557

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1988/01/21

Reason Sampled:

Soil weathering examination

Description:

Walcott Bay, at the northern end of Walcott Bay in a dry gully; a section on the north side of the gully where stratified sediments are exposed

Altitude:

300 m

Aspect:

SW

Slope:

80 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Coastal Antarctic

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-21 °C

Frozen ground depth:

0 cm

Frozen type:

Frozen comment:

Geology

Geological setting:

The Walcott Bay area has a complex geology with basement rocks, small volcanic cones and an extensive drift mantle which include a wide range of rocks; the lower altitude surfaces represent the most recently exposed surfaces following retreat of ice from Walcott Bay and the nearby alpine glaciers; a stream section above the lower ice-cored surfaces has stratified sediments which are clearly older and may be ashy or chemical deposits, as suggested by their low density

Patterned ground:

Nil

Surface weathering or surface features:

The section is steep and the dry gully has probably been eroded by periodic high water flows

Soil

Soil parent material:

Stratified sands and brown sediment, possibly altered ash deposits and ice-marginal

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

6

Soil moisture status:

Oceanic subxerous; the site is currently dry but probably receives occasional water flows from snow thaw

Biological activity:

Moss patches in damp nearby hollows