Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
347000
347
4-Dec-1972
IBC, GGC
Wright Valley, McMurdo Dry Valley region, Asgard range
Soil weathering examination
USGS 1:50,000 Antarctic Topo. Ser. Labyrinth Quadrangle
B&W Pro & Lsc
No
160.9500
-77.5933
77deg 35.6'S
-160deg -57.0'E
| On the S side of Wright Valley in Sessrumnir Valley, approximately 2.5km NE of Mt Freya; on a valley mouth ridge of moraine; an undulating slightly hummocky moraine |
| surface on a lower slope |
8
NE
1,550
cf. Notes for GEOLAND below
(8o)
Dry soil; snow patches only in patterned ground cracks
-25
Central Mountain
Dolerite/sandstone bouldery till with granite erratics and other rock types present;
Nil observed but endolithic algae present in some sandstone outcrops
Weakly developed nets
| SURFACE WEATHERING or |
| SURFACE FEATURES |
cf. Notes for SURFWEA below
Nil
347a 3-0cm
101
surface boulders, cobbles and pebbly sand
102
moderately to strongly stained
103
some particles moderately altered,
347b 0-5cm
201
yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) bouldery gravel
202
moderately cohesive
203
moderately developed vesicular structure
204
rock particles subangular, moderately stained and weakly altered
205
distinct boundary,
347c 5-15cm
301
yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) sandy gravel
302
moderately cohesive
303
few to many diffuse salts
304
rock particles subangular to subrounded, weakly to moderately stained and some moderately altered
305
distinct boundary,
347d 15-30cm
401
brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) sandy gravel
402
weakly cohesive
403
rock particles subrounded to subangular and weakly to moderately stained
404
sharp boundary,
347e 30-35cm
501
light brown (7.5Y 6/4) sandy gravel
502
hard frozen
Yes
a,b,c,d,e
Hard ice-cemented
30
4
(30cm)
Geoland
| Tills in the alpine valleys of the Asgard Range are among the oldest known in the Transantarctic Mountains and based on ash occurrences, date from the |
| Miocene; the till sequences are complex with local alpine sourced moraine being distinguished from outside sources by the presence of granite erratics; the till at |
| this site has granite erratics indicating a source outside of the local area, most likely from down-valley |
Surfwea
| Coarse grained dolerite boulders are strongly crumbled; granite boulders strongly disggregated; many boulders reduced to ground level; moderately developed |
| ventiforms; a moderate bouldery pavement surface with distinct staining and polish; sandstones are cavernously weathered |
| Soluble Salt |
| Concentration |
34700001
34700002
67.00
13.10
48.00
22.50
2.40
2.70
5.00
5.60
0.47
34700003
91.00
22.30
49.70
17.70
1.70
2.50
3.50
2.30
0.26
34700004
84.00
23.00
51.00
18.80
0.10
3.20
2.10
1.40
0.24
34700005
34700006
34700001
34700002
7.70
2.50
6.20
13.20
5.60
0.06
3.70
19.00
3.00
34700003
7.90
1.40
4.00
6.00
3.50
0.60
2.30
8.70
2.00
34700004
8.60
0.78
3.90
0.40
0.04
2.30
0.30
1.60
34700005
34700006
calcite, sodanitre
34700001
34700002
100
34700003
80
5
10
5
34700004
65
15
20
34700005
34700006
12-Dec-2005
Page 304 of 896
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