Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
407000
407
1-Dec-1977
IBC, GGC
Wright Valley near the centre of the Asgard Range, to the SW of Lake Vanda at the mouth of Jotunheim Valley
Soil weathering examination
USGS, Antarctica 1:50,000 Topo. Ser. 1977 Lake Vanda Antarctica
CS Pro
No
161.2170
-77.5983
77deg 35.9'S
-161deg -13.0'E
At the northern end of the Jotunheim Valley till plain surface, approximately 4.5km NE of Oliver Peak; a level surface
0
Nil
1,450
cf. Notes for GEOLAND below
(0o)
A few small snow remnants; soil is dry without moistening
-28
Central Mountain
Dolerite and sandstone stony till
Nil observed
Old broad nets but inactive and very subdued
SURFACE WEATHERING or |
SURFACE FEATURES |
cf. Notes for SURFWEA below
Nil
407a 1-0cm
101
surface cobbles
102
pebbles and granular gravel
103
rock particles subrounded and weakly to moderately stained but little altered
104
a few salt flecks,
407b 0-3cm
201
pale brown to brown (10YR 6/3 - 5/3) sandy granular gravel
202
loose to weakly cohesive
203
weakly developed vesicular structure
204
rock particles mainly angular to subangular and weakly stained but some sandstone particles crumbled
205
distinct boundary,
407c 3-20cm
301
yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) bouldery sandy to silty gravel
302
moderately cohesive
303
diffuse salt flecks with precipitation on the exposed soil face
304
rock particles angular to subrounded and mainly unstained
305
a few coarser textured rocks partly disaggregated
306
indistinct boundary,
407d 20-50cm
401
brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) bouldery sandy to silty gravel
402
loose
403
rock particles angular to subrounded and unstained
Yes
Dry frozen
50
4
(>50cm)
Geoland
The valley floor till is mapped by Denton as Jotunheim Till with an age >10.5 my and is thought to overlie the valley mouth Asgard Till; it is derived from alpine |
valley type glaciation within Jotunheim Valley and is derived from local dolerite and sandstone rocks |
Surfwea
Well developed pebble and cobble pavement with few boulders above 25cm; most surface clasts are well rounded; coarse grained dolerite clasts eroded to |
ground surface; sandstones moderately polished; fine textured dolerite moderately oxidised with some weak pitting; sandstone clasts moderately ventiformed; |
salts beneath some stones |
Soluble Salt |
Concentration |
40700001
34.00
40700002
76.00
40700003
70.00
40700004
65.00
40700005
40700001
40700002
40700003
40700004
40700005
40700001
40700002
40700003
40700004
40700005
12-Dec-2005
Page 364 of 896
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