558

Site number:

558

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1988/01/22

Reason Sampled:

Soil weathering examination

Description:

Walcott Bay, approximately 1.5km east of the terminus of Walcott Glacier; on an undulating till surface with weakly developed patterned ground; the sample site is 40cm from a patterned ground crack

Altitude:

350 m

Aspect:

Nil

Slope:

0 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Coastal Antarctic

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-21 °C

Frozen ground depth:

50 cm

Frozen type:

Hard ice-cemented

Frozen comment:

50cm

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; the lower slopes are extensively ice-cored and the landscape is being actively modified in places by thermokarst processes

Patterned ground:

Weakly developed broad nets with raised borders; 25cm deep troughs; sand wedges are present

Surface weathering or surface features:

A moderately developed pebble and small cobble pavement; most clasts subrounded and unstained;

Soil

Soil parent material:

Very sandy gravelly till with sand wedges

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

6 1 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Oceanic subxerous; the site is dry; occasional summer snow falls

Biological activity:

Small lichen occurrences on crystalline rocks are common