On a prominent remnant bench to the SE of Rougier Hill; the surface has undulating low outcrops of Beacon Group sediments with little regolith cover; dolerite also outcrops in low relief and near the edge of the surrounding escarpment, outcrops are sculptured; where dolerite occurs, a bouldery regolith, possibly felsenmeer, is present
Altitude:
2150 m
Aspect:
Nil
Slope:
0 °
Location Data
Observer
IBC
GPS
No
Latitude Longitude DMS
85° 11' S 174° 21' W
Latitude Longitude DD
-85.183 -174.350
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 Nth 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:
30 cm
Frozen type:
Hard ice-cemented
Frozen comment:
30cm
Geology
Geological setting:
Dolerite and Beacon Group sediments outcrop over the surface but surficial deposits are scarce; regolith materials may be bedrock largely fragmented by frost action but some sandstone erratic amongst the dolerite suggest some glacial movement of materials; the surface is old as indicated by weathering features
Patterned ground:
Moderately developed; some mounds possibly ice cored
Surface weathering or surface features:
Some wind sorting of surface materials; surface rocks are strongly stained, partly rounded and there is some pitting on dolerite boulders; dolerite bedrock has been sculptured to penitent forms; salts occur beneath some surface stones
Xerous; occasional small snow patches but no thawing observed
Biological activity:
Nil observed
Profile Description
Horizon
Depth
Description
71a
0
–
4
cm
reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) granular pebbly sand; very weakly cohesive; weakly developed vesicular structure; rock particles subrounded and subangular, strongly stained and partly altered; distinct boundary,
71b
4
–
9
cm
strong brown to yellowish red (7.5YR 5/6-5YR 5/6) sandy bouldery gravel; weakly cohesive; weakly developed vesicular structure; small flecks of salt diffused throughout; rock particles subrounded to subangular, strongly stained, and partly altered; distinct boundary,
71c
9
–
23
cm
strong brown to yellowish red (7.5YR 5/6-5YR 5/6) pebbly bouldery sand; loose; few white salt flecks; rock particles subangular to subrounded, partly stained and partly altered; indistinct boundary,
71d
23
–
30
cm
dark brown to dark reddish brown (moist 7.5YR 3/2-5YR 3/4) gravelly sand; weakly frosted; rock particles subangular and weakly stained; sharp boundary, on frozen ground