Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
409000
409
5-Dec-1977
IBC, GGC
Wright Valley in the Olympus Range
Soil weathering examination
USGS, Antarctica 1:50,000 Topo. Ser. 1977 Lake Vanda Antarctica
CS Pro
No
161.3000
-77.5033
77deg 30.2'S
-161deg -18.0'E
cf. Notes for DESCR below
140
S
1,500
Asgard Till has been widely recognised in the valleys of the Asgard Range; the till at this site is granitic, similar to the Asgard Till occurrences and has soils of similar |
weathering stage; the nearest granite outcrops are at a lower elevation |
Extensive snow cover from recent snow falls but little thawing; the soil surface is dry
-28
Central Mountain
Sandy gravel till containing predominantly sandstone with some dolerite and including some granite
Nil observed
Nil
SURFACE WEATHERING or |
SURFACE FEATURES |
cf. Notes for SURFWEA below
Nil
409a 2-0cm
101
surface small boulders, cobbles and granular sand
102
moderately to strongly stained
103
rock particles mainly subrounded
104
some sandstone particles strongly oxidised,
409b 0-3cm
201
brown to dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) sandy gravel
202
weakly cohesive
203
weakly developed vesicular structure
204
rock particles mainly subangular and weakly to moderately stained
205
irregular boundary,
409c 3-15cm
301
brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) sandy cobble gravel
302
weakly to moderately cohesive
303
a few fine salt flecks
304
rock particles mainly subangular and unstained but smaller particles subrounded
305
indistinct boundary,
409d 15-35cm
401
brownish yellow (10YR 6/4) sandy gravel
402
moderately cohesive
403
frosted
404
rock particles subangular and unstained
405
sharp boundary,
409e 35-40cm
501
ice-cemented ground
Yes
Hard ice-cemented
35
4
Descr
On the north side of Wright Valley in the Olympus range, above the North Fork of Wright Valley; near the edge of a prominent erosional bench surface; a small |
rounded residual moraine ridge about 75m from the upper edge of the steep Wright Valley side with a hummocky surface |
Surfwea
Sandstone clasts are strongly oxidised, many with red colour and also very hard; dolerite is mainly fine textured, oxidised and polished but unpitted; sandstone |
shows moderate exfoliation; salts present beneath surface stones; the pavement is weakly developed |
Soluble Salt |
Concentration |
40900001
25.00
40900002
83.00
40900003
87.00
40900004
91.00
40900005
40900001
40900002
40900003
40900004
40900005
40900001
40900002
40900003
40900004
40900005
12-Dec-2005
Page 366 of 896
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