Northern end of the Cumulus Hills, 1.5km SSE of Shenk Pk. on lateral moraine mounds on a hill slope alongside a stagnant rock-covered alpine glacier
Altitude:
2200 m
Aspect:
W
Slope:
25 °
Location Data
Observer
IBC
GPS
No
Latitude Longitude DMS
85° 13' S 174° 45' W
Latitude Longitude DD
-85.217 -174.75
Latitude longitude precision DD
0.008 0.04
Locality
Shackleton Glacier, Queen Maud Mountains, on mountain slopes to the south of McGregor Glacier at the Nth end of the Cumulus Hills
Survey
USGS 1:250 000 1968; Liv Glacier SV 1-10/5
Climate
Soil climate zone:
Central mountain
Site temperature profile
Depth (cm)
Soil temp (°C)
Notes
0
-8
air
0
6
surface
36
-8
Estimated mean annual temperature:
-35
°C
Frozen ground depth:
40 cm
Frozen type:
Hard ice-cemented
Frozen comment:
40cm
Geology
Geological setting:
The till forms the middle of three deposits representing three retreat stages of a local alpine type glacier, the youngest being the most extensive; the larger clasts in the till are mainly dolerite but the finer fractions are probably from Beacon Group sediments
Patterned ground:
Nil
Surface weathering or surface features:
Boulders predominantly angular to subangular but with slight rounding on edges; mainly weak but distinct surface staining
Soil
Soil parent material:
Loose bouldery till from dolerite and sedimentary rocks
xerous; few small scattered snow pockets but no melting observed
Biological activity:
Nil observed
Profile Description
Horizon
Depth
Description
67a
0
–
5
cm
light brown to very pale brown (7.5YR 6/4-10YR 7/4) sandy to silty cobble and boulder gravel; a thin vesicular crust merging into loose skeleton; rock particles mainly subangular to subrounded with weak staining; few thin brownish carbonate coatings; distinct boundary,
67b
5
–
20
cm
very pale brown to light yellowish brown (10YR 7/4-6/4) gravelly sand; loose; few fine salt flecks; rock particles mainly subangular and unstained but some subrounded with distinct surface staining; indistinct boundary,
67c
20
–
40
cm
very pale brown to light yellowish brown (10YR 7/4-6/4) gravelly sand; loose; few fine salt flecks; larger rock particles mainly subangular and unstained but smaller particles subrounded with distinct staining and alteration, on frozen ground.