141

Site number:

141

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1965/01/21

Reason Sampled:

Soil characterisation

Description:

About 9.5km SSW of Lake Vashka at the western end and on the top of the Insel Range; a broad undulating basin like surface with patches of till; the site is about 50m N of site 140 on a gently sloping surface at the foot of a low bouldery ridge; although the sites are similar the soils are a little different

Altitude:

1150 m

Aspect:

W

Slope:

4 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Central mountain

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-26 °C

Frozen ground depth:

0 cm

Frozen type:

Dry frozen

Frozen comment:

Geology

Geological setting:

Insel Drift is considered to represent the deposits of a former eastward flowing ice stream from an early glaciation; the till at this site occurs at a higher altitude than some other deposits mapped as Insel Drift and forms small loops around the basin; some basement rocks may be present in the till; granite in the till may indicate an up-valley source as in tills from the Asgard Range

Patterned ground:

No patterned ground

Surface weathering or surface features:

Surface boulders are up to 1.5m; dolerite boulders are moderately stained and subrounded; moderate to strong surface exfoliation; well developed pavement with ventifacts; salts occur beneath surface stones

Soil

Soil parent material:

Sandy silty till from dolerite, sandstone and granitic rocks; the fine fraction may be a little coarser that in soil 140

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

4 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Xerous to subxerous; the surface is almost totally covered with 2.5cm of snow from a recent fall; there is no thawing and the soil is dry

Biological activity:

Some lichens on surface boulders