664

Site number:

664

Authors:

IBC, GGC, MRB

Date recorded:

1991/12/14

Reason Sampled:

Soil weathering examination

Description:

Approximately 550m N of McMurdo Station and on the upper surface of a shallow valley; a surface undisturbed from ground scraping

Altitude:

110 m

Aspect:

Nil

Slope:

0 °

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 are predominantly scoria flows of the McMurdo Volcanics; Last Glaciation Ross 1 ice covered the site and traces of rocks (sandstone and granite granules and small pebbles) probably from the Royal Society Range can be found

Patterned ground:

Weakly developed patterned ground

Surface weathering or surface features:

Stony surface; some calcium carbonate coatings

Soil

Soil parent material:

Gravelly basaltic drift

Previous disturbance:

Foot traffic disturbance but probably nil mechanical

Soil weathering stage:

1 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Oceanic subxerous; the site is dry

Biological activity:

Some yellow lichen on nearby basalt pebbles