Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
395000
395
25-Nov-1977
IBC, GGC
Wright Valley at the Western end in the Asgard Range, at the NE end of Koenig Valley, approximately 2km NW of Mt Freya
Soil weathering examination
USGS, Antarctica 1:50,000 Topo. Ser. 1977 Labyrinth Antarctica
Nil
No
160.8000
-77.6000
77deg 36.0'S
-160deg -48.0'E
| A flat surface in a depression at the northern end of the floor of Koenig Valley with some very slightly raised patches; a completely enclosed basin and salty hollow; the site is |
| near the centre of the hollow |
0
Nil
1,440
cf. Notes for GEOLAND below
(0o)
Small patchy snow remnants; dry soil with no water present
-30
Inland Mountain
Dolerite and sandtone till, possibly reworked as pond sediment
Nil observed
Weakly developed broad nets
| SURFACE WEATHERING or |
| SURFACE FEATURES |
| A well developed pebble pavement surface but with clasts slightly depressed in soft ground; thick salt accumulations beneath surface stones; surface clasts |
| weakly to moderately oxidised but strongly altered |
Nil
395a 2-0cm
101
surface pebbles and granular sand
102
mainly subrounded coarse textured particles weakly to moderately stained and strongly altered
103
fine textured particles strongly stained but unaltered,
395b 0-2cm
201
light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) gravelly silty sand
202
moderately cohesive
203
rock particles subrounded and strongly altered
204
distinct boundary,
395c 2-3cm
301
olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) slightly gravelly sand
302
moderately cohesive
303
profuse discontinuous salts
304
rock particles unstained and strongly altered
305
distinct boundary,
395d 3-5cm
401
light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) silty sand beneath a rock
402
moderately cohesive
403
many diffuse salts,
395e 3-10cm
501
light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) silty sand at the side of a rock
502
slightly moist
503
moderately cohesive
504
abundant salt flecks
505
distinct boundary,
395f 10-15cm
601
light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) silty sand
602
firm
603
moderately developed vesicular structure
604
few fine salt flecks
605
rock particles subangular and unstained
606
sharp boundary,
395g 15-20cm
701
light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) ice cemented ground
Yes
a,b,c,d,e,f,g
Hard ice-cemented
15
4
(15cm)
Geoland
| The Asgard Range is comprised of Beacon Sandstone and Ferrar Dolerite; the landscape is ancient with the high altitude valley cirques cut in pre-Miocene time; |
| hollows or enclosed basins are found in many locations, often behind a ridge of moraine; they are commonly salty having slowly accumulated salts over a very |
| long time; the salts in these basins provide clues to Antarctic geochemical history; the soils typically have olive colours and a greater than normal clay content |
| Soluble Salt |
| Concentration |
39500001
100.00
39500002
39500003
100.00
6.10
13.60
15.30
5.30
3.10
8.80
46.00
1.14
39500004
100.00
1.60
11.10
17.60
6.40
3.40
11.10
47.20
0.97
39500005
100.00
1.50
8.30
13.50
5.90
3.60
12.70
52.90
1.10
39500006
100.00
1.90
9.00
14.50
5.10
2.70
12.40
52.60
1.30
39500007
39500008
39500001
39500002
39500003
9.10
27.00
435.00
7.00
25.80
0.31
19.30
208.00
3.20
39500004
9.00
22.00
139.00
44.90
0.32
28.60
144.00
3.40
39500005
8.90
8.00
35.90
1.22
14.20
0.22
26.00
17.80
3.30
39500006
8.90
7.50
28.70
0.77
0.21
28.00
6.25
3.00
39500007
39500008
39500001
39500002
39500003
50
20
30
39500004
55
15
30
39500005
65
35
39500006
40
60
39500007
39500008
12-Dec-2005
Page 352 of 896
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