653

Site number:

653

Authors:

IBC, GGC, MRB

Date recorded:

1991/12/11

Reason Sampled:

Soil weathering examination

Description:

Approximately 850m NE of Cape Evans and 150m SE of the Barne Glacier on a young, undulating moraine surface; the site is on a 50cm high mound approximately 1.5m across in a shallow swale

Altitude:

150 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:

Rocks of the area belong to the McMurdo Volcanics; the moraines are from young till from the Barne Glacier from predominantly Kenyite volcanics; at this site the material is yellowish fine till distinctly demarcated from the adjacent basaltic material

Patterned ground:

Weakly developed broad nets with 10cm troughs

Surface weathering or surface features:

A predominantly pebble pavement with occasional small boulders; the mound may be residual or possibly a weathering induced feature

Soil

Soil parent material:

Yellowish silty till

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

1 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Oceanic subxerous; dry at the site but surface soil moistening around the edge of the mound which may be salt induced

Biological activity:

Nil at site but some local algal accumulations