Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
349000
349
5-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 Lsc
No
160.9000
-77.6000
77deg 36.0'S
-160deg -54.0'E
| On the S side of Wright Valley in Sessrumnir Valley, approximately 2km NNE of Mt Freya; near the N end of a high valley shoulder surface; the site on the upper part of a |
| broad rising slope, about 250m from the upper bench-like surface |
0
Nil
1,675
cf. Notes for GEOLAND below
(0o)
A dry site but small scattered snow remnants; no evidence of thawing or soil moistening
-26
Central Mountain
Bouldery till from dolerite and sandstone
Nil observed but endolithic algae present in some sandstone outcrops
Nil at site
| SURFACE WEATHERING or |
| SURFACE FEATURES |
cf. Notes for SURFWEA below
Nil
349a 3-0cm
101
surface boulders and cobbles and pebbly sand
102
rock particles moderately to strongly stained and subrounded
103
salts beneath some stones,
349b 0-5cm
201
brownish yellow (10YR 5/6) bouldery sandy gravel
202
moderately cohesive
203
moderately developed vesicular structure
204
rock particles angular and moderately stained
205
distinct boundary,
349c 5-10cm
301
brownish yellow (10YR 5/6) bouldery sandy gravel
302
moderately cohesive
303
many diffuse salts
304
rock particles angular and non to weakly stained
305
distinct boundary,
349d 10-54cm
401
light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) sandy bouldery gravel
402
loose
403
rock particles angular and unstained
404
many sandstone ghosts and some partly disaggregated sandstone clasts
405
sharp boundary, on hard ice-cemented ground
Yes
a,b,c,d,e
Hard ice-cemented
54
4/5
(54cm)
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 is above the granite erratic moraine and appears to be of local origin |
Surfwea
| Dolerite boulders mostly rounded with some ventiform shapes and also strong pitting in fine grained clasts; some dolerite cavernously weathered; coarse dolerite |
| with granular disintegration; sandstone clasts strongly stained and fretted to rubble; salts beneath surface stones |
| Soluble Salt |
| Concentration |
34900002
81.00
39.70
31.60
15.90
2.60
2.60
4.70
2.30
0.56
34900003
71.00
24.30
42.80
19.30
2.30
3.00
5.70
2.10
0.38
34900001
33.00
69.60
19.00
7.40
1.10
0.90
1.20
0.50
0.31
34900004
62.00
16.60
51.20
25.40
1.80
1.60
2.10
1.00
0.10
34900005
34900002
7.60
1.70
2.90
10.50
5.00
0.03
2.30
14.60
2.10
34900003
8.50
2.60
3.60
16.80
3.80
0.03
2.50
21.00
2.30
34900001
7.60
0.31
1.10
0.20
0.01
0.60
0.50
0.50
34900004
8.90
0.95
2.20
4.00
1.50
0.03
1.40
5.70
1.00
34900005
thenardite, kieserite
34900002
40
10
10
40
34900003
55
35
10
34900001
34900004
50
25
25
34900005
12-Dec-2005
Page 306 of 896
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