Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
427000
427
14-Nov-1978
IBC, GGC
Hatherton Glacier, Transantarctic Mountains
Soil weathering examination
United States Geological Survey 1966; 1:250,000 Turnstile Ridge, Antarctica
No
154.3000
-79.8500
79deg 51.0'S
-154deg -18.0'E
| A nunatak at the edge of the Polar Plateau at the head of the Hatherton Glacier; at the eastern end of Westhaven Nunatak on a lower elevation small terrace or bench type of |
| surface with patterned ground covered topography |
0
Nil
2,150
cf. Notes for GEOLAND below
Extensive snow cover but no thaw or soil moistening
-40
Inland Mountain
Stony dolerite moraine
Nil observed
Strongly developed nets with 1m deep troughs; the soil is underlain by ice
| SURFACE WEATHERING or |
| SURFACE FEATURES |
A stony surface; dolerite clasts are moderately stained; probably derived from erosion of local outcrops
Nil
427a 2-0cm
101
surface cobbles an bouldery gravelly sand
102
angular to subrounded, strongly stained and partly altered,
427b 0-10cm
201
light yellowish brown (10YR 64/4) sandy gravel
202
203
loose
204
rock particles angular to subangular
205
sharp boundary, on ice
Yes
Stagnant ice
10
1
(10cm)
Geoland
| Westhaven Nunatak is a dolerite outcrop; this area was examined to see if there were old surfaces and soils similar to those seen at the edge of the Polar Plateau |
| in the Shackleton Glacier; the lower altitude surface might be expected to have soils that are less weathered than on the top of Westhaven Nunatak; the strong |
| patterned ground features suggest much more recent surface exposure |
| Soluble Salt |
| Concentration |
42700001
6.00
84.40
6.00
2.90
1.80
1.80
1.50
1.00
0.38
42700002
59.00
54.50
12.20
8.70
5.90
8.50
7.80
1.80
0.42
42700001
4.70
1.70
1.40
9.40
1.50
1.01
9.23
2.60
42700002
7.00
2.30
3.10
10.60
3.90
1.81
9.15
5.90
42700001
100
42700002
also stillbite
12-Dec-2005
Page 384 of 896
427