51

Site number:

51

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1964/11/21

Reason Sampled:

Soil characterisation

Description:

A gently sloping raised beach surface, the highest identified, forming a distinct terrace about 40m wide; about 1km SE of Evans Cove

Altitude:

45 m

Aspect:

NE

Slope:

3 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Coastal Antarctic

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-17 °C

Frozen ground depth:

23 cm

Frozen type:

Hard ice-cemented

Frozen comment:

23cm

Geology

Geological setting:

A well defined series of raised beaches occur on the northeast and eastern coasts of Inexpressible Island up to about 45m above sea level; some surfaces are well demarcated by the presence of rounded boulders but where there has been active patterned ground movement, demarcation on lithological characteristics is less clear

Patterned ground:

Moderately developed medium nets 3-8m across

Surface weathering or surface features:

Most surface boulders and cobbles subrounded with a noticeable light surface staining, some slight exfoliation

Soil

Soil parent material:

Bouldery beach gravels derived from dominantly granitic rocks (Granite Harbour Intrusives) partly reworked by patterned ground movement

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

2 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Oceanic subxerous; no liquid water present and little local snow cover

Biological activity:

Small patches of black and yellow lichen on rocks and some small moss patches