642

Site number:

642

Authors:

IBC, GGC, MRB

Date recorded:

1991/12/04

Reason Sampled:

Soil contamination examination

Description:

Approximately 4.3km NE of Marble Point on the east side of the runway at the northern end; 5m from site 623; an area of soil with a damp surface appearance that may have been due to a fuel spill

Altitude:

65 m

Aspect:

Nil

Slope:

0 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Coastal Antarctic

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-18 °C

Frozen ground depth:

0 cm

Frozen type:

Frozen comment:

Geology

Geological setting:

The surface adjacent to the airstrip has been heavily disturbed during the runway construction; areas of cut and fill deposits and sidecastings are common; the rocks are dominantly granodiorite;, granite, marble and gneiss; fuel spills around the Marble Point Air Facility have been common

Patterned ground:

Nil

Surface weathering or surface features:

A patchy darkend soil surface

Soil

Soil parent material:

Approximately 75cm of sandy gravel fill, from marble, granite and gneiss

Previous disturbance:

Widespread disturbance from previous runway construction and ongoing logistical activities

Soil weathering stage:

6 1 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

No obvious source of moisture; the darkened moist like appearance of the soil surface may be due to a fuel spillage

Biological activity:

Nil observed