48

Site number:

48

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1964/11/21

Reason Sampled:

Soil characterisation

Description:

A raised bouldery beach surface on the northeast coast of Inexpressible Island alongside Evans Cove, approximately 75m from the coast

Altitude:

8 m

Aspect:

NE

Slope:

5 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Coastal Antarctic

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-17 °C

Frozen ground depth:

25 cm

Frozen type:

Hard ice-cemented

Frozen comment:

25cm

Geology

Geological setting:

A well defined series of raised beaches occur on the northeast and eastern coasts of Inexpressible Island; some of the surfaces are continuous and appear to mark progressive relative sea level changes while others are geomorphically disjunctive

Patterned ground:

Weakly developed nets with shallow (15cm) troughs

Surface weathering or surface features:

Boulders cobbles and pebbles rounded and unstained; some surface granular disintegration

Soil

Soil parent material:

Bouldery granitic beach gravels

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

6 1 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Oceanic subxerous; small scattered snow patches; little liquid water available

Biological activity:

Nil observed