146

Site number:

146

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1965/01/23

Reason Sampled:

Soil characterisation

Description:

on the lower slopes of Barwick Valley, approximately 6.5km E of lake Vashka; a low angle fan surface formed below a shallow gully cut in the north side of the Barwick Valley; the site is on the upper part of the fan surface where the soil profiles appear to show greater development

Altitude:

600 m

Aspect:

S

Slope:

3 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Central mountain

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-23 °C

Frozen ground depth:

72 cm

Frozen type:

Hard ice-cemented

Frozen comment:

72cm

Geology

Geological setting:

Small fans have formed as a result of rapid thaw of valley side snow or ice accumulations in nevees which, for a short period, provide a source of water to transport sediment

Patterned ground:

Weakly developed, non active nets

Surface weathering or surface features:

Well developed pebble pavement with weak surface staining; wind abrasion has formed ventifacts; some yellowish brown calcium carbonate crusts beneath some stones and also some salt accumulations

Soil

Soil parent material:

Colluvial sands and fine gravels of mixed lithology, possibly including reworked till

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

6 3 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Xerous to subxerous; the site is dry with little available moisture; frozen ground is deeper, suggesting that the site may be drier than site 145

Biological activity:

Nil observed