Soil moisture and permafrost characterisation; undisturbed site for geochemical and soil contamination reference characterisation
Description:
North eastern end of Lake Vanda approximately 2.3km north northeast of Vanda Station; an a high even sloping till surface with abundant scattered dolerite boulders; the surface is broad and moderately steeply sloping with weakly developed steps or benches formed as a consequence of ice retreat
Altitude:
600 m
Aspect:
S
Slope:
24 °
Location Data
Observer
IBC
GGC
GPS
No
Latitude Longitude DMS
77° 30.4' S 161° 39.0' E
77° 30.4' S 161° 39.0' E
Latitude Longitude DD
-77.5067 161.650
-77.5067 161.650
Latitude longitude precision DD
0.0008 0.008
0.0008 0.008
Locality
Wright Valley, on the northern side opposite Vanda Station
Survey
not recorded
Climate
Soil climate zone:
Central Mountain
Estimated mean annual temperature:
-24
°C
Frozen ground depth:
0 cm
Frozen type:
Dry frozen, loose
Frozen comment:
Geology
Geological setting:
The rocks of the valley side are granodiorites cut by lamprophyre dykes and intruded with dolerite; old compact silty till, including Peleus or Jason Till, and younger up-valley coarser tills with a variety of basement rock types included, mantle the valley sides; these deposits and the surface features have been weakly modified in some places by fan detritus from intermittent low energy flows originating from gullies from the Olympus Range; the site has mainly dolerite boulders at the surface with the pavement being predominantly granodiorite; a few angular fresh granodiorite boulders are present and these may have come from rockfalls from outcrops above
Patterned ground:
Nil
Surface weathering or surface features:
A moderately developed pebble pavement of subrounded to subangular weakly stained clasts; some cavernous weathering of coarse grained rocks; larger clasts with distinct staining on unabraided surfaces; weak ventifaction
Soil
Soil parent material:
Old up-valley silty to sandy and bouldery till with some layered and surface reworked materials
Xerous; dry with no identifiable source of free water
Biological activity:
None observed
Profile Description
Horizon
Depth
Description
759a
-1
–
0
cm
surface pavement of pebbles, granules and loose sand; rock particles subangular to subrounded with weak to moderate staining,
759b
0
–
8
cm
light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy pebble gravel with a weakly developed surface crust; loose; rock particles subangular to subrounded with weak to moderate staining; distinct boundary,
759c
8
–
20
cm
yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) pebbly gravelly sand; loose; rock particles subrounded and non to weakly stained; distinct boundary,
759d
20
–
35
cm
yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy pebble and granule gravel; loose to weakly cohesive; some salt accumulations around stones; rock particles subrounded to subangular and non to weakly stained; sharp boundary,
759e
35
–
70
cm
light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) bouldery silty to sandy gravel; moderately to strongly cohesive; few to many large salt accumulations around pebbles; some clasts crumbled and disaggregated; larger rock particles mainly angular and unstained; indistinct boundary,
759f
70
–
110
cm
light yellowish brown to light brownish grey (2.5Y 6/4-6/2) bouldery silty to sandy gravel; moderately cohesive; few salt flecks; larger rock particles angular and unstained; indistinct boundary, on similar till