Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
400000
400
28-Nov-1977
IBC, GGC
Wright Valley near the centre of the Asgard Range, to the SW of Lake Vanda in Nibelungen Valley
Soil weathering examination
USGS, Antarctica 1:50,000 Topo. Ser. 1977 Lake Vanda Antarctica
No
161.3500
-77.6083
77deg 36.5'S
-161deg -21.0'E
A slight mound on the undulating floor of Nibelungen Valley; near a granitic outcrop; approximately 2.5km NW of Panaroma Peak
0
Nil
1,425
cf. Notes for GEOLAND below
(0o)
Few small snow remnants from recent snow falls
-28
Central Mountain
Bouldery till predominantly from granite and with dolerite and sandstone
Nil observed
Nil
SURFACE WEATHERING or |
SURFACE FEATURES |
Granite clasts are strongly disaggregated; dolerite is moderately stained and weakly to moderately pitted; sandstone clasts are polished with reddish oxide |
coatings; moderate ventiforms and some cavernously weathered sandstone |
Nil
400a 2-0cm
101
surface small boulders, pebbles and granular sand
102
moderate to strong surface staining and some disaggregation
400b 0-7cm
201
brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) sandy to silty gravel
202
weakly cohesive
203
rock particles mainly subrounded
204
weakly stained and slightly altered
205
indistinct boundary,
400c 7-22cm
301
yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) sandy to silty gravel
302
moderately cohesive
303
few to many diffuse salts
304
some ghosts
305
most rock particles subangular and non to weakly stained
306
distinct boundary,
400d 22-53cm
401
olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) sandy to silty gravel
402
loose to weakly cohesive
403
some patches of greyish unoxidised till
404
a few ghosts but most rock particles subangular, unstained and unaltered
405
indistinct boundary,
400e 53-65cm
501
olive yellow to brownish yellow (2.5Y 6/6 - 10YR 6/6) sandy gravel
Yes
Dry frozen
65
4
(>65cm)
Geoland
Local outcrops are dominated by Beacon Sandstone and Ferrar Dolerite; glacial sequences are similar to other alpine of the Asgard Range with old sequences of |
local alpine valley glaciers dominated by sandstone and dolerite; granite outcrops lower down the valley and its presence in the till may indicate up-valley |
movement |
Soluble Salt |
Concentration |
40000001
44.00
40000002
78.00
40000003
68.00
40000004
94.00
40000005
62.00
40000006
40000007
40000008
40000001
40000002
40000003
40000004
40000005
40000006
40000007
40000008
40000001
40000002
40000003
40000004
40000005
40000006
40000007
40000008
12-Dec-2005
Page 357 of 896
400