Site Information

Site number:
807
Authors:
IBC, GGC
Date recorded:
1995/01/19
Reason Sampled:
Permafrost and soil moisture investigations
Description:
Approximately 350 m north of site 805; approximately 8.5 km WSW of Larsen Crag, on the south west side of Greenville Valley, on a broad, uneven valley floor surface formed below a slightly higher terrace like surface; the site is on a smooth sloping surface
Altitude:
1215 m
Aspect:
NW
Slope:
3 °
Location Data
Observer GGC IBC
GPS No
Latitude Longitude DMS 76° 46.6' S 160° 44.5' E 76° 45.3' S 160° 48.9' E
Latitude Longitude DD -76.7767 160.742 -76.7550 160.8150
Latitude longitude precision DD 0.0008 0.004 0.0008 0.0008
Locality Greenville Valley, southwest of Northwind Glacier in the Convoy Range
Survey not recorded

Climate

Soil climate zone:
Central Mountain
Estimated mean annual temperature:
-27 °C
Frozen ground depth:
0 cm
Frozen type:
Hard ice-cemented
Frozen comment:
ice cement at 14cm

Geology

Geological setting:
Greenville Valley comprises mainly dolerite with some minor sedimentary rocks (Weller Coal Measures) and has been formed by ancient ice over riding the Convoy Range from the west; valley head-wall deposits occur mainly around the south-western side of the valley and represent alpine glacial deposits; towards the western end of Greenville Valley, the surface is a dolerite platform with a thin irregular till cover with occasional sandstone and decomposed granite erratics; on the lower surfaces which slope and drain towards the north-east, tills deposits are more extensive, have more strongly developed patterned ground and have a greater abundance of pink granite erratics;
Patterned ground:
weakly developed 10-15m nets with shallow troughs
Surface weathering or surface features:
Moderate to strong surface oxidation; some exfoliation and granular disintegration; moderately developed pitting and pavement development; weakly to moderately developed ventiforms; some salts beneath surface stones

Soil

Soil parent material:
Shallow doleritic and sandstone (Weller Coal Measures) till with scattered granite over ice-cemented ground
Previous disturbance:
Nil
Soil weathering stage:
6 4 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)
Soil moisture status:
Xerous to sub xerous; several snowfalls and a recent fall within 2 days; most snow cover removed by ablation but some soil moistening in the upper few centimetres; no liquid flows
Biological activity:
Occasional yellow and green lichen in rock fissures and some patches of black lichen
Profile Description
HorizonDepthDescription
807a -3 – 0 cm surface boulders, cobbles and pebbles; moderately developed pavement; clasts subrounded to subangular, moderately to strongly stained and moderately pitted,
807b 0 – 2 cm brown (7.5YR 5/4) pebbly gravelly sand; firm and frosted; diffuse salts; rock particles subrounded and subangular, moderately to strongly stained and partly altered; distinct boundary,
807c 14 – 26 cm brown (7.5YR 5/4) cobbly gravelly sand; firm and frosted; rock particles subangular, moderately stained and moderately altered; sharp boundary,
807d 26 – 41 cm light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) ice cemented gravel (drill core); rock particles subangular to subrounded, many strongly altered,
807e 41 – 58 cm light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) ice-cemented gravel (drill core); rock particles subangular to subrounded, many strongly altered,
807f 58 – 76 cm light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) ice-cemented gravel (drill core); rock particles subangular, some moderately altered,
807g 76 – 104 cm light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) ice-cemented gravel (drill core); rock particles subangular, some strongly altered,;
807h 104 – 122 cm light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) ice-cemented gravel (drill core); rock particles subangular,
807i 122 – 130 cm light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) ice-cemented gravel (drill core),
807j 130 – 145 cm light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) ice-cemented gravel (drill core),

Sample Data

Physical Data
Sample nameDepth descriptionTop (cm)Base (cm)Bulk DensityDry Bulk DensityGravimetric MoistureVol. Moisture (BD=2)
807a 3-0 -3 0 1.38
807b 0-2 0 2 2.92
807c 14-26 14 26 27.99
807d 26-41 26 41 19.62
807e 41-58 41 58 33.56
807f 58-76 58 76 31.25
807g 76-104 76 104 37.38
807h 104-122 104 122 46.19
807i 122-130 122 130 47.98
807j 130-145 130 145 31.6
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
807a 15.08
807b 67.95
807c 58.7
807d 81.2
807e 89.83
807f 59.85
807g 63.95
807h 62.48
807i 79.95
807j 64.93
Clay Mineralogy
Sample nameMicaIHMHIV - IHMICHLVTHIVCHLSMCHL SMFE - CHLHTQTZFLDHBCALNotes
807a :
807b :
807c :
807d :
807e :
807f :
807g :
807h :
807i :
807j :

Photos

Photo record:
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