Site Information

Site number:
837
Authors:
IBC DSS WM
Date recorded:
1998/01/11
Reason Sampled:
LiCl leaching trial site sampling
Description:
The site lies within the zone of lake benches formed by former rises in the level of Lake Vanda. water flows; the slope is about 4o to the south and there is some minor broad polygonal patterns indicating some ice cemented ground; the site is about half way up the fan. For the experiment, in January 1994, two series of plots were established, about 20 m apart, with 3 adjacent 1 metere square plots being irrigated with a LiCl solution and 1 plot being irrigated with H2O as a control. After an initial sampling, subsequent samplings were made in January 1995, in December 1995 and in January 1998. Samplings were made from the irrigated plot and at 1 m intervals to 3 m down slope, from above the irrigated plot and from the H2O control plot. This sample is from just above the application plot.
Altitude:
200 m
Aspect:
S
Slope:
8 °
Location Data
Observer IBC GGC
GPS GPS
Latitude Longitude DMS 77° 31.18' S 161° 40.80' E 77° 51' S 166° 48' E
Latitude Longitude DD -77.51970 161.6800 -77.850 166.800
Latitude longitude precision DD 0.00008 0.0008 0.008 0.008
Locality North side of Lake Vanda in Wright Valley, near the eastern end on a sloping fan surface
Survey Not recorded

Climate

Soil climate zone:
Xerous to subxerous, dry valley floor zone
Estimated mean annual temperature:
-20 °C
Frozen ground depth:
35 cm
Frozen type:
dry frozen, some weak ice cementing at a few sites
Frozen comment:
Permafrost ~35cm, from 2yrs temp monitoring

Geology

Geological setting:
The site lies within the zone of lake benches formed by former rises in the level of Lake Vanda. The deposits are probably lake sediments that have been subsequently reworked by somewhat mild fan depositional processes from periodic stream flows from adjacent mountain slopes. The deposits have a dominantly sandy texture and are generally weakly to non stratified
Patterned ground:
Weakly developed large polygons
Surface weathering or surface features:
Undisturbed surfaces with a well developed small pebble pavement with some clasts showing some ventifaction;

Soil

Soil parent material:
Moderately sorted sandy fan gravels
Previous disturbance:
Site previously disturbed from sampling activities for LiCl leaching trial and a treading trial; probably subject to other random treading disturbances
Soil weathering stage:
6 1 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)
Soil moisture status:
Minimal moisture from snowfall with very low soil moisture contents
Biological activity:
Nil observed
Profile Description
HorizonDepthDescription
837f pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4 - 5Y 7/3) gravelly sand; loose; rock particles subrounded to angular and unstained,
837b 5 – 10 cm pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4 - 5Y 7/3) gravelly sand; loose; few fine salt flecks adhering to rock particles; rock particles subrounded to angular and unstained,
837c 10 – 20 cm pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4 - 5Y 7/3) gravelly sand; loose; a few fine salt flecks adhering to rock particles; rock particles subrounded to angular and unstained,
837d 20 – 30 cm pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4 - 5Y 7/3) gravelly sand; loose; a few fine salt flecks adhering to rock particles; rock particles subrounded to angular and unstained,
837e 30 – 40 cm pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4 - 5Y 7/3) gravelly sand; loose; rock particles subrounded to angular and unstained,

Sample Data

Physical Data
Sample nameDepth descriptionTop (cm)Base (cm)Bulk DensityDry Bulk DensityGravimetric MoistureVol. Moisture (BD=2)
837a 0-5cm 0 5 Yes
837b 5-10 5 10 Yes
837c 10-20 10 20 Yes
837d 20-30 20 30 Yes
837e 30-40 30 40 Yes
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
837a
837b
837c
837d
837e
Clay Mineralogy
Sample nameMicaIHMHIV - IHMICHLVTHIVCHLSMCHL SMFE - CHLHTQTZFLDHBCALNotes
837a :
837b :
837c :
837d :
837e :
National Soil Archive Samples
Sample nameNSA Sample IdContainer typeFraction type
837a M22/4717 Pink lid small mixed fine
837b M22/4718 Pink lid small mixed fine
837c M22/4719 Pink lid small mixed fine
837d M22/4720 Pink lid small mixed fine
837e M22/4721 Pink lid small mixed fine

Photos

Photo record:
Loading...