Site Information

Site number:
112
Authors:
IBC, GGC
Date recorded:
1964/12/31
Reason Sampled:
Soil characterisation
Description:
A moraine filled basin, north of the terminus of the Foggydog Glacier and west of the Bartrum Glacier with a series of distinct moraine loops, formed by the retreat of the two glaciers; the is site flat, on one of the furthermost loops of the Bartrum Glacier and is towards the edge of a polygon
Altitude:
1050 m
Aspect:
Nil
Slope:
0 °
Location Data
Observer IBC
GPS No
Latitude Longitude DMS 79° 45' S 158° 35' E
Latitude Longitude DD -79.75 158.58
Latitude longitude precision DD 0.04 0.04
Locality Victoria Land, Trans-antarctic Mountains; at the southern end of the Cook Mountains in the Brown Hills region of the Darwin Glacier
Survey USGS 1:250,000 1963; Carlyon Glacier ST 57-60/13*

Climate

Soil climate zone:
Coastal mountain
Estimated mean annual temperature:
-26 °C
Frozen ground depth:
30 cm
Frozen type:
Hard ice-cemented
Frozen comment:
30cm

Geology

Geological setting:
Granite Harbour Intrusives and dolerite sills occur widely on surrounding mountains; the till is dominantly granitic with minor dolerite but some schist is present; the till sequence reflects the deposition of moraines in association with retreat of the Foggydog and Bartrum Glaciers
Patterned ground:
Moderately developed
Surface weathering or surface features:
Scattered surface boulders with variable staining, weakest in polygon centres and stronger towards edges; small salt deposits under some stones;

Soil

Soil parent material:
Granitic till
Previous disturbance:
Nil
Soil weathering stage:
3 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)
Soil moisture status:
Xerous to subxerous; the site is dry with available water coming only from occasional snowfalls
Biological activity:
Yellow and black lichen are present
Profile Description
HorizonDepthDescription
112a 0 – 8 cm light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy to silty gravel; moderately cohesive and forming a distinct surface crust; weakly developed vesicular structure; rock particles mostly subangular and moderately stained but some moderately to strongly stained and altered throughout; distinct boundary,
112b 8 – 15 cm light yellowish brown to pale brown (10YR 6/4-6/3) sandy to silty cobble and granule gravel; moderately cohesive; coarser particles partly cemented with fines; a few fine salt flecks; rock particles subangular, moderately to weakly stained and unaltered; distinct boundary,
112c 15 – 25 cm light grey (2.5Y 7/2) sandy pebbly granular gravel; loose; rock particles subangular to subrounded and weakly stained; sharp boundary, on frozen ground.

Sample Data

Physical Data
Sample nameDepth descriptionTop (cm)Base (cm)Bulk DensityDry Bulk DensityGravimetric MoistureVol. Moisture (BD=2)
112a 0-8cm 0.0 8.0
112b 8-15cm 8.0 15.0
112c 15-25cm 15.0 25.0
Sample solution chemistry
Sample namepHNa meq/100gCa meq/100gMg meq/100gK meq/100gCl meq/100gSO4 meq/100gNO3 meq/100gEC mmho/cmSoluble SaltNotes
112a 7.0 . . . . . . . . 0.02  
112b 8.7 0.9 0.4 0.8 0.2 0.1 0.9 <0.05 . 0.06  
112c 9.0 . . . . . . . . 0.01  
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
112a 74 34.1 25.1 23.0 6.1 6.6 . 0.4 .
112b 84 33.7 23.4 21.9 5.3 9.1 . 0.3 .
112c 55 44.9 21.9 20.6 3.6 6.0 . 0.1 .
National Soil Archive Samples
Sample nameNSA Sample IdContainer typeFraction type
112a M22/0816 medium coarse
112a M22/0817 medium fine
112a M22/6892 Glass vial metal lid
112b M22/0818 White lid small coarse
112b M22/0819 medium fine
112b M22/6893 Glass vial metal lid
112c M22/0820 medium coarse
112c M22/0821 medium fine
112c M22/6894 Glass vial metal lid

Photos

Photo record:
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