About 2 km south of Matador Mountain on an extensive till plain; on a slight terrace, a few m above the lowermost till surface
Altitude:
1625 m
Aspect:
Nil
Slope:
0 °
Location Data
Observer
IBC
GPS
No
Latitude Longitude DMS
85° 12' S 176° 46' W
Latitude Longitude DD
-85.200 -176.767
Latitude longitude precision DD
0.008 0.008
Locality
Shackleton Glacier, Queen Maud Mountains, near the south of the Swithinbank Moraine
Survey
USGS 1:250 000 1968; Liv Glacier SV 1-10/5
Climate
Soil climate zone:
Central mountain
Estimated mean annual temperature:
-30
°C
Frozen ground depth:
84 cm
Frozen type:
Dry frozen over stagnant glacial ice
Frozen comment:
84cm
Geology
Geological setting:
Swithinbank Moraine comprises an extensive area of ablation till, between Matador Mountain and the Bennett Platform and is derived from a stranded part of the McGregor Glacier; the tills are largely ice cored and comprise mainly dolerite (coarse materials) and Beacon Group sediments (fine fractions)
Patterned ground:
Weakly developed
Surface weathering or surface features:
Distinct rounding and staining of surface boulders but non pitted; some exfoliation and polish; a surface crust formed in places due to occasional soil moistening; a distinct salt horizon on higher surfaces
Soil
Soil parent material:
Bouldery sandy/silty till from dolerite and sedimentary rocks; may include some granite