Site Information

Site number:
56
Authors:
IBC, GGC
Date recorded:
1964/12/01
Reason Sampled:
Soil characterisation
Description:
NE facing slope, about 30m above glacier level, on a scree slope on the lower slopes of ridge, 2km NNW of Mt.Kenyon
Altitude:
1800 m
Aspect:
NE
Slope:
20 °
Location Data
Observer IBC
GPS No
Latitude Longitude DMS 85° 09' S 174° 58' W
Latitude Longitude DD -85.150 -174.967
Latitude longitude precision DD 0.008 0.008
Locality Shackleton Glacier, Queen Maud Mountains, on mountain slopes to the south of McGregor Glacier at the northern end of the Cumulus Hills
Survey USGS 1:250 000 1968; Liv Glacier SV 1-10/5

Climate

Soil climate zone:
Central mountain
Estimated mean annual temperature:
-35 °C
Frozen ground depth:
38 cm
Frozen type:
Hard ice-cemented
Frozen comment:
38 cm

Geology

Geological setting:
Ferrar Dolerite sills outcrop with Beacon Group sediments, these rocks forming the main components of the tills which mantle most of the lower slopes; surface features suggest there may have been some slight solifluction movement
Patterned ground:
Weakly developed nets with 20cm troughs; some contraction cracks in profile pits are without surface expression
Surface weathering or surface features:
Subrounded to subangular dolerite cobbles and pebbles with moderate surface staining; some small salt patches beneath surface stones

Soil

Soil parent material:
Stony till comprising mainly dolerite and some fine grained sedimentary rocks
Previous disturbance:
Nil
Soil weathering stage:
6 3 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)
Soil moisture status:
Xerous; numerous snow patches but no thawing
Biological activity:
Nil observed
Profile Description
HorizonDepthDescription
56a 0 – 15 cm light brown (7.5YR 6/4) pebbly gravel; moderately cohesive; aggregates formed through coating with fines; moderately developed vesicular structure; rock particles subangular to subrounded and weakly stained; distinct boundary,
56b 15 – 33 cm light brown (7.5YR 6/4) pebbly fine gravel; loose; rock particles subangular to subrounded and weakly stained; distinct boundary,
56c 33 – 38 cm light brown to reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/4-6/6) granule gravel; weakly cohesive with silty clay cementing; weakly developed vesicular structure; rock particles subangular and weakly stained; abrupt boundary, on frozen ground

Sample Data

Physical Data
Sample nameDepth descriptionTop (cm)Base (cm)Bulk DensityDry Bulk DensityGravimetric MoistureVol. Moisture (BD=2)
56a 0-15cm 0.0 15.0
56b 15-33cm 15.0 33.0
56c 33-38cm 33.0 38.0
Sample solution chemistry
Sample namepHNa meq/100gCa meq/100gMg meq/100gK meq/100gCl meq/100gSO4 meq/100gNO3 meq/100gEC mmho/cmSoluble SaltNotes
56a 8.4 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.06 0.08 1.2 0.1 . 0.09  
56b 7.8 0.7 0.4 0.2 0.05 0.2 1.5 0.1 . 0.08  
56c 8.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.04 0.1 0.5 <0.01 . 0.07  
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
56a 70 48.8 22.1 15.0 2.5 3.7 3.9 3.5 0.49 .
56b 71 53.4 22.5 15.7 2.1 2.9 1.6 1.4 0.4 .
56c 69 44.1 25.9 16.9 2.5 3.8 4.7 1.7 0.46 .
Clay Mineralogy
Sample nameMicaIHMHIV - IHMICHLVTHIVCHLSMCHL SMFE - CHLHTQTZFLDHBCALNotes
56a 40.0 . 10.0 . . . 20.0 10.0 . 20.0 . . . .
56b 50.0 . 15.0 . 10.0 . 15.0 10.0 . . . . . .
56c 35.0 . 15.0 . 20.0 . . 15.0 . 15.0 . . . .
National Soil Archive Samples
Sample nameNSA Sample IdContainer typeFraction type
56a M22/0595 medium coarse
56a M22/0596 large fine
56a M22/6791 Glass vial metal lid
56b M22/0597 medium coarse
56b M22/0598 large fine
56b M22/6792 Glass vial metal lid
56c M22/0599 medium coarse
56c M22/0600 medium fine
56c M22/6793 Glass vial metal lid

Photos

Photo record:
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