71

Site number:

71

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1964/12/04

Reason Sampled:

Soil characterisation

Description:

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 °

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

Soil

Soil parent material:

Dolerite with some sandstone

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

6 4 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Xerous; occasional small snow patches but no thawing observed

Biological activity:

Nil observed