Site Information

Site number:
809
Authors:
IBC, GGC
Date recorded:
1995/01/20
Reason Sampled:
Permafrost and soil moisture investigations
Description:
Approximately 10.5km SW of Larsen Crag, at the head of Greenville Valley, about 200m from outcrops of the Weller Coal Measures Formation; the surface is part of an extensive almost flat surface forming the head of the valley but which has minor undulations about 1m high resulting from ice scouring; the profile site is on the crest of a small rise
Altitude:
1400 m
Aspect:
nil
Slope:
0 °
Location Data
Observer GGC IBC
GPS No
Latitude Longitude DMS 76° 46.6' S 160° 44.5' E 76° 46.3' S 160° 45.1' E
Latitude Longitude DD -76.7767 160.742 -76.7717 160.7520
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:
Dry frozen bedrock
Frozen comment:

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; at this site dolerite and sedimentary rocks intermix in narrow bands and form a mosaic on the ground surface; the till cover is thin and patchy with the regolith consisting mainly of fractured bedrock
Patterned ground:
Nil at site
Surface weathering or surface features:
Sandstone clasts form a well developed pavement and have strong ventiform features; surface staining and polish are moderately to strongly developed; salt deposits occur beneath surface stones

Soil

Soil parent material:
Predominantly sandstone (95%) with some dolerite, as a thin cover of local drift over sandstone bedrock and 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 7 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
809a -4 – 0 cm surface cobbles, pebbles and small boulders mainly sandstone; well developed pavement; clasts mainly subrounded to rounded, strongly stained and polished; some exfoliating; weakly ventiform; salts beneath many surface stones,
809b 0 – 2 cm yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) pebbly to cobbly gravelly sand; loose; patches of salts around and beneath stones; rock particles mainly subrounded, angular to rounded and non to moderately stained; some particles strongly altered; distinct boundary,
809c 2 – 14 cm yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) pebbly to bouldery gravel; weakly to moderately cohesive; few salt accretions; rock particles mainly angular and unstained; many smaller particles disaggregating and forming ghosts; distinct boundary,
809d 14 – 35 cm light yellowish brown (10YR 6/6) silty to sandy cobble and boulder gravel; weakly cohesive to loose; sandstone rock particles angular and unstained; some sandstone clasts disaggregating and forming ghosts; sharp boundary, on sandstone bedrock

Sample Data

Physical Data
Sample nameDepth descriptionTop (cm)Base (cm)Bulk DensityDry Bulk DensityGravimetric MoistureVol. Moisture (BD=2)
809a 4-0 -4 0 0.6
809b 0-2 0 2 1.4 2.66
809c 2-14 2 14 1.2 4.46
809d 14-35 14 35 1.33 2.52
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
809a 10.5
809b 62.22
809c 51.73
809d 52.22
Clay Mineralogy
Sample nameMicaIHMHIV - IHMICHLVTHIVCHLSMCHL SMFE - CHLHTQTZFLDHBCALNotes
809a :
809b :
809c :
809d :

Photos

Photo record:
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