Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
45000
45
19-Nov-1964
IBC, GGC
Inexpressible Island, Terra Nova Bay
Soil characterisation
USGS 1:250 000 1968; Mt Melbourne SS 58-60/9
No
163.6670
-74.8833
74deg 53.0'S
-163deg -40.0'E
A small basin approximately 1.5km southeast of the highest point on Inexpressible Island and near a small frozen lake; the surface is approximately 1.5m above the lake
0
275
cf. Notes for GEOLAND below
Oceanic subxerous, little liquid water available at present but the soil is probably saturated |
when summer thaw occurs |
-19
Coastal Antarctic
Granitic till reworked by patterned ground and fluvial (lake floor?) processes, possibly with small accumulations of finer wind blown material
Algae in nearby lake
Large polygonal nets with shallow troughs
SURFACE WEATHERING or |
SURFACE FEATURES |
Mainly unstained subangular to angular surface boulders up to 1.5m long
Nil
45a 0-8cm
101
dark yellowish brown (moist, 10YR 5/4) silty gravel
102
slightly sticky
103
rock fragments angular and unstained, abrupt boundary,
45b 8-15cm
201
dark greyish brown (moist 2.5Y 4/2) silty gravel
202
slightly sticky
203
rock fragments fresh and unstained
204
abrupt boundary,
45c 15-20cm
301
very dark grey (moist 5Y 3/1) silty gravel
302
very hard
303
frozen
304
rock fragments angular and unstained.
Yes
a,b,c
hard ice-cemented
20
1
(20cm)
Geoland
The surface materials on the higher slopes of Inexpressible Island are mainly bouldery tills from Granite Harbour Intrusives, which occur extensively in the |
region; small glacially scoured basins have accumulated some finer textured materials on the basin floors |
Soluble Salt |
Concentration |
12-Dec-2005
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