Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
411000
411
8-Dec-1977
IBC, GGC
Wright Valley in the eastern end of the Olympus Range to the east of Bull Pass
Soil weathering examination
USGS, Antarctica 1:50,000 Topo. Ser. 1977 Lake Brownworth Antarctica
CS Lscp & Pro
No
162.1200
-77.4867
77deg 29.2'S
-162deg -7.2'E
A sloping bench surface on an upper side slope of Wright Valley with shallow ridges; the site is on a slightly uneven broad sloping ridge about midslope
10
SE
1,150
| Till sequences in the Lower Wright Valley are complex; higher elevation till deposits are probably older than the lower elevation recognised sequence of up-valley ice |
| advances; the till at this site may be the equivalent of Asgard Till |
(10o)
Extensive snow cover on surface with some moistening of the soil surface to 3 cm;
-25
Coastal Mountain
Dolerite, granite and sandstone bouldery sandy gravel till
Nil observed
Nil
| SURFACE WEATHERING or |
| SURFACE FEATURES |
cf. Notes for SURFWEA below
Nil
411a 2-0cm
101
surface pebbles, cobbles and granular sand
102
mainly subrounded
103
moderately stained and partly altered,
411b 0-3cm
201
brown (10YR 5/3) sandy fine gravel
202
moist adjacent to snow edge but dry further away
203
moderately cohesive
204
moderately developed vesicular structure
205
rock particles subrounded, partly stained and partly altered
206
distinct boundary
207
411c 3-16cm
301
brownish yellow to pale olive (10YR 6/6 - 2.5Y 6/6) sandy gravel
302
loose to weakly cohesive
303
some ghosts
304
rock particles mainly subrounded to subangular, partly stained and partly altered
305
distinct boundary,
411d 16-35cm
401
yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) sandy gravel
402
moderately cohesive
403
patchy salt cementing
404
salts abundant through and around disaggregating granular rocks
405
larger rock particles mainly subangular
406
smaller particles subrounded weakly to moderately stained and partly altered
407
indistinct boundary,
411e 35-55cm
501
yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) bouldery sandy gravel
502
loose to weakly cohesive
503
some coarse grained clasts partly disaggregated
504
rock particles mainly angular, unstained and unaltered
505
indistinct boundary,
411f 55-70cm
601
yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) bouldery sandy gravel
602
loose
603
some coarse grained clasts partly disaggregated
604
rock particles mainly angular, unstained and unaltered
605
indistinct boundary,
411g 70-90cm
701
yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) very bouldery sandy gravel
702
loose
703
rock particles mainly angular, unstained and unaltered
704
indistinct boundary,
411h 90-110cm
801
brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) very bouldery sandy gravel
802
loose to weakly cohesive
803
some coarse grained clasts partly disaggregated
804
rock particles mainly angular, unstained and unaltered
805
indistinct boundary,
411i 110-115cm
901
light yellowish brown to pale yellow (2.5Y 6/4 - 7/4) bouldery sandy gravel
902
loose
Yes
Dry frozen
115
4
(115cm; >115cm)
Surfwea
| Coarse dolerite weakly to moderately stained, fine grained dolerite moderately stained; unpitted; moderately developed ventiforms; sandstone clasts hardened |
| but unstained; a moderately developed pebble pavement with a few upstanding dolerite boulders to 75cm; exfoliation and disintegration of some coarse grained |
| granites |
| Soluble Salt |
| Concentration |
41100001
24.00
41100002
67.00
41100003
77.00
41100004
44.00
41100005
48.00
41100006
47.00
41100007
51.00
41100008
46.00
41100009
59.00
41100010
41100001
41100002
41100003
41100004
41100005
41100006
41100007
41100008
41100009
41100010
41100001
41100002
41100003
41100004
41100005
41100006
41100007
41100008
41100009
41100010
12-Dec-2005
Page 368 of 896
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