Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
490000
490
8-Jan-1983
IBC, GGC
Coombs Hills in the Convoy Range, Trans-antarctic Mountains, between the Odell and Cambridge Glaciers
Soil characterisation
B&W, CS Pro & Lscp
No
159.9170
-76.8000
76deg 48.0'S
-159deg -55.0'E
2 km NEN of Mt Brooke on an elevated undulating bench- like surface, about 150m above the main valley floor; about 30m from a scarp that forms part of the valley side;
3
NW
2,300
cf. Notes for GEOLAND below
| Xerous, recent widespread 3cm snowfall with some thawing on the surfaces of larger rocks |
| protruding from the snow; soil is dry |
-32
Central mountain
Till derived from dolerite, tuff and sandstones
Nil observed
Weakly developed inactive 10-15m nets with 50cm troughs
| SURFACE WEATHERING or |
| SURFACE FEATURES |
cf. Notes for SURFWEA below
Nil
490a 3-0cm
101
surface boulders, pebbles and granules
102
subrounded to subangular and moderately to strongly stained
103
smaller particles altered throughout,
490b 0-3cm
201
brown (7.5YR 5/4) sandy bouldery granular gravel
202
moderately cohesive and slightly frosted
203
rock particles mainly subangular to subrounded and moderately stained with some altered throughout
204
sharp boundary,
490c 3-10cm
301
brown (7.5YR 5/4) sandy cobbly granular gravel (43% <2mm)
302
weakly to moderately cohesive
303
white salts diffused throughout
304
rock particles subangular to subrounded and weakly to moderately stained
305
some larger clasts disaggregated and forming ghosts
306
distinct boundary,
490d 10-30cm
401
yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) bouldery sandy gravel
402
weakly cohesive
403
some salts diffused throughout and also on the surface of some clasts
404
rock particles mainly subangular and unstained but some clasts disaggregated and forming ghosts
405
diffuse boundary
490e 30-60cm
501
light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) bouldery to granular gravel (24% <2mm)
502
loose to weakly cohesive
503
a few salt flecks
504
rock particles subangular to angular and unstained
505
diffuse boundary,
490f 60-80cm+
601
light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) bouldery sandy gravel
602
loose
603
rock particles angular to subangular and unstained
Yes
Dry frozen
80
4
(>80cm)
Geoland
| Outcropping rocks on Mt Brooke and adjacent hills include Jurassic tuffs and lavas, Ferrar Dolerite and Beacon Group sediments; the drift mantle is widespread |
| on this surface which in places has ridge and swale features possibly formed by wind erosion; bedrock outcrops on higher parts of the surface to the east |
Surfwea
| Surface dolerite boulders are moderately to strongly stained and many show distinctive moderately developed pitting on upper surfaces; some exfoliation of |
| surface boulders; some larger boulders disaggregated to rubble piles; salts occur beneath some surface stones forming distinct crusts |
| Soluble Salt |
| Concentration |
49000001
49000002
42.00
54.00
17.00
12.00
5.00
4.00
6.00
1.00
0.13
49000003
68.00
32.00
18.00
20.00
12.00
8.00
8.00
2.00
0.14
49000004
43.00
36.00
18.00
17.00
10.00
9.00
7.00
3.00
0.13
49000005
33.00
42.00
18.00
14.00
9.00
8.00
7.00
2.00
0.11
49000006
23.00
48.00
16.00
11.00
7.00
8.00
8.00
2.00
0.08
49000001
49000002
6.80
0.88
3.40
1.40
1.10
0.02
0.01
5.50
1.80
49000003
8.20
2.78
2.80
3.00
1.50
0.02
0.03
6.10
1.80
49000004
8.90
2.61
7.00
11.40
4.60
0.04
0.03
16.00
4.40
49000005
9.00
2.17
9.20
4.90
5.60
0.05
0.07
9.40
4.40
49000006
9.20
1.86
9.20
0.49
1.80
0.03
0.03
4.50
3.10
49000001
49000002
60
10
10
10
zeolite 10
49000003
zeolite 10, rest disordered
49000004
disordered smectite, zeolite 10
49000005
disordered smectite, zeolite 10
49000006
disordered smectite, zeolite 20
12-Dec-2005
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