Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
448000
448
21-Nov-1978
IBC, GGC
Hatherton Glacier, Britannia Range, Transantarctic Mountains
Soil weathering examination
United States Geological Survey 1966; 1:250,000 Mount Olympus, Antarctica
CS Pro
No
156.3500
-80.0750
80deg 4.5'S
-156deg -21.0'E
On the south side of the Hatherton Glacier in the Britannia Range; a slight hollow in a saddle on the ridge to the northeast of Derrick Peak
4
N
1,800
cf. Notes for GEOLAND below
Extensive snow cover but no thaw observed or soil moistening
-35
Inland Mountain
Stony till predominantly from dolerite but with some sandstone
Nil observed
Very weakly developed
SURFACE WEATHERING or |
SURFACE FEATURES |
cf. Notes for SURFWEA below
Nil
448a 2-0cm
101
surface small cobbles, pebbles and granular sand
102
rock particles strongly stained and many pitted
103
some particles with red (2.5Y 4/8) amorphous intergranular fillings
104
salts beneath stones,
448b 0-8cm
201
brown (7.5YR 5/4) sandy granular gravel
202
loose
203
rock particles subangular, moderately stained and moderately altered
204
sharp boundary,
448c 8-15cm
301
strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) sandy gravel
302
firmly cohesive
303
abundant diffuse salts forming a continuous horizon
304
larger rock particles angular and unstained but partly crumbly
305
smaller particles subangular, moderately stained and partly altered
306
indistinct boundary,
448d 15-30cm
401
strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) sandy cobbly to bouldery gravel
402
moderately to strongly cohesive
403
scattered salt flecks
404
larger rock particles angular and unstained
405
smaller particles subangular to subrounded, weakly stained and weakly altered
406
indistinct boundary,
448e 30-62cm
501
strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) sandy bouldery gravel
502
loose to weakly cohesive
503
salt precipitations on a few rock faces
504
larger rock particles angular to subangular and unstained but smaller particles subrounded
505
indistinct boundary,
448f 62-75cm
601
strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) bouldery sandy gravel
602
loose
603
pulverulent
Yes
Dry frozen
75
4/5
(>75cm)
Geoland
Ferrar Dolerite caps the ridges and forms a prominent escarpment marking the edge of the Polar Plateau; a former more extensive Polar Ice Sheet would have |
extended in icefalls over the escarpment; the surfaces and the soils around the edge of the escarpment at Derrick Peak provide an indication of when the Polar |
Ice Sheet last extended across the escarpment and into the valleys of the Hatherton Glacier; till at this site includes some sandstone |
Surfwea
Coarse grained dolerite boulders well rounded and upstanding to 40cm; some cavernously weathered; staining is strong with active surface and weathering rhind |
exfoliation; fine grained rocks strongly stained and pitted; sandstone clasts stained and case hardened; some moderately developed ventiforms; salts beneath a |
few surface stones; a strongly developed pavement |
Soluble Salt |
Concentration |
44800001
29.00
44800002
64.00
44800003
44800004
57.00
44800005
65.00
44800006
50.00
44800001
44800002
44800003
44800004
44800005
44800006
44800001
44800002
44800003
44800004
44800005
44800006
12-Dec-2005
Page 405 of 896
448