Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
494000
494
11-Jan-1983
IBC, GGC
Elkhorn Ridge in the Convoy Range, Trans-antarctic Mountains, between the Towle and the Northwind Valleys
Soil characterisation
B&W Pro & CS Lscp
No
160.8650
-76.7200
76deg 43.2'S
-160deg -51.9'E
cf. Notes for DESCR below
0
Nil
1,600
cf. Notes for GEOLAND below
Xerous, extensive cover of snow but no thawing
-29
Central mountain
Frost accumulated fragmented dolerite
Nil observed
| SURFACE WEATHERING or |
| SURFACE FEATURES |
| Many upstanding surface boulders are strongly and deeply pitted on their upper surfaces; boulder are extensive at the surface and vary from subangular to |
| subrounded and weakly to strongly stained |
Nil
494a 5-0cm
101
surface boulders, cobbles, pebbles and granules with smaller particles derived from exfoliation
102
angular to subrounded
103
larger particles moderately to strongly stained
104
many smaller particles strongly altered,
494b 0-3cm
201
yellowish red (5Y 5/6) bouldery cobbly granular gravel
202
weakly cohesive and frosted with weakly developed vesicular structure
203
rock particles subangular to subrounded, moderately to strongly stained and many strongly altered
204
distinct boundary,
494c 3-15cm
301
brown to dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) bouldery, cobbly granular gravel
302
loose
303
| larger rock particles mainly angular and weakly stained with smaller particles subangular to subrounded, |
| moderately to strongly stained and moderately altered |
304
sharp boundary,
494d 15-20cm
401
strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) silty to sandy bouldery gravel
402
extremely hard and ice cemented
403
rock particles mainly subangular and unstained, on hard ice-cemented ground
Yes
a,b,c,d
Hard ice cemented
20
5
(20cm)
Geoland
| Dolerite sills are extensive on the upper plateau and ridge surfaces and cap most of the ridges; the surface was probably overridden by a previously expanded |
| Polar Plateau ice sheet and has become exposed with it's subsequent retreat; extensive rubbly deposits of doleritic material are probably felsenmeer deposits |
| formed by prolonged ice wedging processes |
Descr
| On the SW part of the Elkhorn Ridge and at the Northern end of a very broad, upland, strongly undulating plateau which was probably part of a more enlarged |
| Cambridge Glacier ice-sheet surface; the upland surface has a mammillated overridden appearance with many small snow/ice accumulations behaving as local |
| glaciers; the site is on an old uneven bouldery felsenmeer surface |
| Soluble Salt |
| Concentration |
49400001
49400002
61.00
57.00
20.00
11.00
5.00
3.00
2.00
2.00
0.32
49400003
63.00
53.00
24.00
11.00
5.00
4.00
2.00
1.00
0.32
49400004
69.00
49.00
15.00
7.00
4.00
8.00
16.00
1.00
0.43
49400001
49400002
8.00
0.46
2.70
0.55
0.35
0.01
0.05
1.90
0.40
49400003
7.60
0.90
5.90
1.50
1.90
0.02
0.08
3.20
1.90
49400004
8.30
0.58
2.90
0.20
0.43
0.01
0.08
1.80
0.60
49400001
49400002
20
15
15
15
15
15
zeolite 5
49400003
25
15
25
5
30
49400004
30
25
10
25
10
zeolite tr
12-Dec-2005
Page 452 of 896
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