Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
329000
329
25-Nov-1972
IBC, GGC
Taylor Dry Valley, McMurdo Dry Valley region, Rhone Glacier
Soil weathering examination
USGS 1:50,000 Antarctic Topo. Ser. Lake Bonney Quadrangle
B&W+CS Lsc & B&W Pro
No
162.1270
-77.6867
77deg 41.2'S
-162deg -7.6'E
4.5km N of Taylor Glacier and 20m from the edge of the Rhone Glacier; on the crest of a small hummocky recent lateral moraine that lies about 2m above the Rhone Glacier
0
Nil
1,350
cf. Notes for GEOLAND below
(0o)
A dry site but a thin (<1cm) snow fall at the surface which disappeared within 24 hours; no |
soil moistening; some snow lying in patterned ground cracks |
-25
Inland Mountain
Ice cored sandy bouldery gravel ablation till from mixed granite, dolerite and sandstone
Nil observed
Moderately developed hummocky nets indicative of an ice core
SURFACE WEATHERING or |
SURFACE FEATURES |
Few to many small to medium surface boulders with cobbles and pebbles; rocks mainly angular so subangular and unstained but pre-weathering on some |
clasts; negligible current weathering |
Nil
329 4-0cm
101
surface small boulders, cobbles and pebbly sand
102
angular to subangular and mostly unstained,
329a 0-5cm
201
light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) sandy gravel
202
loose
203
rock particles subangular and unstained but some particles subrounded
204
weakly stained and partly altered
205
indistinct boundary,
329b 5-15cm
301
light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) sandy gravel
302
weakly to moderately cohesive
303
frosted
304
rock particles mainly angular and unstained, some partly stained and partly altered
305
sharp boundary,
329c 15-25cm
401
light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) sandy gravel note: the colour varies according to the amount of fine material |
present |
Yes
a,b,c
Stagnant glacial ice
15
1
(15cm)
Geoland
The Rhone Glacier has a series of till deposits that increase in age in a SW direction away from the present glacier position; not far from the glacier edge, the till |
passes into till-free granite bedrock with well developed cavernous weathering; the weathering sequence suggests that there may have been little fluctuation of |
the Rhone Glacier from its present position |
Soluble Salt |
Concentration |
32900001
86.00
35.00
35.00
25.40
1.80
1.40
0.80
0.40
0.26
32900002
93.00
29.80
37.50
28.10
1.00
1.50
1.20
0.60
0.24
32900003
79.00
26.60
36.70
31.20
1.40
1.20
1.70
0.80
0.26
32900001
6.50
0.10
0.43
0.03
0.05
0.02
0.06
0.02
0.02
32900002
5.00
0.04
0.18
0.05
0.02
0.02
0.04
0.01
32900003
6.80
0.04
0.17
0.01
0.04
0.02
0.04
0.03
0.01
32900001
disorded mica-smectite
32900002
disordered mica-smectite
32900003
disordered mica-smectite
12-Dec-2005
Page 286 of 896
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