49

Site number:

49

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1964/11/21

Reason Sampled:

soil characterisation

Description:

The floor of a small depression and site of a former small frozen lake, on a low undulating surface approximately 1km form the NE coast of Inexpressible Island

Altitude:

35 m

Aspect:

Nil

Slope:

0 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Coastal Antarctic

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-17 °C

Frozen ground depth:

18 cm

Frozen type:

Hard ice-cemented

Frozen comment:

18cm

Geology

Geological setting:

Some depressions on land below about 45m above sea level are occupied by small frozen lakes, others are dry but mark the sites of former small lakes

Patterned ground:

Very weak initial development of small nets

Surface weathering or surface features:

Subdued surface; pebbles coated with silty fines

Soil

Soil parent material:

Lake bed sediment

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

1 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Oceanic subxerous; no liquid water present but the site may become wet with surface water ponding in some years when precipitation or thawing are greater

Biological activity:

Some dried algal accumulations around the edge of the depression