Site Information

Site number:
655
Authors:
IBC, GGC, MRB
Date recorded:
1991/12/11
Reason Sampled:
Soil weathering examination
Description:
Greenpeace World Park Base; 10m, to the E of the main base buildings on the gravel foreshore beach
Altitude:
2 m
Aspect:
W
Slope:
5 °
Location Data
Observer IBC GGC
GPS No
Latitude Longitude DMS 77° 38' S 166° 24' E 77° 38' S 166° 24.0' E
Latitude Longitude DD -77.633 166.400 -77.633 166.400
Latitude longitude precision DD 0.008 0.008 0.008 0.008
Locality Cape Evans, Ross Island, McMurdo Sound
Survey Dept of Interior USGS 1986 1:250,000 Ross Island & Vicinity, Antarctica

Climate

Soil climate zone:
Coastal Antarctic
Estimated mean annual temperature:
-18 °C
Frozen ground depth:
30 cm
Frozen type:
Hard ice-cemented
Frozen comment:
30cm

Geology

Geological setting:
Rocks of the area belong to the McMurdo Volcanics; the beach gravels are recent and derived from local volcanic rocks predominantly Kenyite volcanics
Patterned ground:
Nil at site
Surface weathering or surface features:
Surface gravel pavement is rounded and unweathered

Soil

Soil parent material:
Sorted pebble gravel with occasional small boulders
Previous disturbance:
Extensive treading disturbance from nearby base site activity; possibly some fuel contamination; minor small particle waste material
Soil weathering stage:
6 1 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)
Soil moisture status:
Oceanic subxerous; some snow melt; subsurface soil is moist
Biological activity:
Nil at site
Profile Description
HorizonDepthDescription
655a 0 – 5 cm grey (10YR 5/1) granular pebble gravel; loose; rock particles subrounded; a few small wood and fibre fragments; distinct boundary,
655b 5 – 15 cm dark grey (10YR 4/1) sandy gravel; loose; moist; rock particles subrounded; distinct boundary,
655c 15 – 30 cm very dark grey (10YR 3/1) gravelly coarse sand; loose; moist; sharp boundary, on hard ice-cemented ground

Sample Data

Physical Data
Sample nameDepth descriptionTop (cm)Base (cm)Bulk DensityDry Bulk DensityGravimetric MoistureVol. Moisture (BD=2)
655a 0-5cm 0.0 5.0 1.31
655b 5-15cm 5.0 15.0 10.59
655c 15-30cm 15.0 30.0 6.94
Particle size distribution
Sample name< 2 mm2 - 0.5 mm0.5 - 0.25 mm0.25 - 0.1 mm0.1 - 0.05 mm0.05 - 0.02 mm0.02 - 0.002 mm< 0.002 mmFe2O3CaCO3Notes
655a 45.0
655b 73.0
655c 76.0
Clay Mineralogy
Sample nameMicaIHMHIV - IHMICHLVTHIVCHLSMCHL SMFE - CHLHTQTZFLDHBCALNotes
655a :
655b :
655c :

Photos

Photo record:
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