Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
487000
487
6-Jan-1983
IBC, GGC
Coombs Hills in the Convoy Range, Trans-antarctic Mountains, between the Odell and Cambridge Glaciers
Soil characterisation
B&W, CS&P Pro
No
159.8970
-76.8100
76deg 48.6'S
-159deg -53.8'E
Approximately 1km NE of Mt Brooke, on the lower slopes of a tongue of moraine formed by retreat of an alpine glacier on the north slopes of Mt Brooke
15
NW
2,400
cf. Notes for GEOLAND below
Xerous, recent widespread snowfall with some soil moistening due to thawing
-33
Central mountain
Ice-rich young till from previously altered tuffs and lavas
Nil observed
SURFACE WEATHERING or |
SURFACE FEATURES |
The surface is bouldery; rocks are unstained and mainly angular but some softer rocks are partly rounded and abraded; many rocks are altered from |
pre-weathering; there are thin white salt efflorescences on the surface of and beneath some stones |
Nil
487a 4-0cm
101
surface boulders, cobbles and pebbles
102
mainly angular and unstained but many are altered by earlier weathering,
487b 0-5cm
201
brown (7.5YR 5/4) granular cobbly gravel
202
loose
203
thin white salt coatings on some rock surfaces
204
hard rock particles angular and softer particles subrounded and unstained but many are strongly altered and |
oxidised throughout |
205
distinct boundary,
487c 5-10cm
301
brown (7.5YR 5/4) granular cobbly gravel
302
loose to moderately cohesive and frosted
303
thin salt coatings on some rock surfaces
304
hard rock particles angular and softer particles subrounded with many strongly oxidised and altered throughout
305
sharp boundary,
487d 10-25cm+
401
brown (7.5YR 5/4) granular cobbley gravel
402
extremely hard
403
ice cemented.
Yes
Hard ice-cemented
10
1
(10cm)
Geoland
Outcropping rocks on Mt Brooke include Jurassic tuffs and lavas and Ferrar Dolerite, the drift mantle is intermittent and thin or absent in places; till ranges in |
age from young to very old; young till on lower slopes of Mt Brooke comprises previously weathered rock materials |
Soluble Salt |
Concentration |
48700002
25.00
72.00
11.00
9.00
4.00
2.00
1.00
1.00
0.18
48700001
48700003
27.00
62.00
13.00
10.00
6.00
4.00
3.00
1.00
0.19
48700002
7.20
0.17
0.40
0.60
0.20
0.03
1.00
0.10
48700001
48700003
7.30
0.14
0.35
0.35
0.14
0.01
0.80
0.04
48700002
45
30
15
5% zeolite (heulandite?)
48700001
48700003
45
30
15
10% zeolite
12-Dec-2005
Page 445 of 896
487