Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
504000
504
15-Jan-1983
IBC, GGC
Convoy Range, Trans-antarctic Mountains, in the valley of the Northwind Glacier
Soil characterisation
B&W & CS Pro & Lscp
No
159.8270
-76.7333
76deg 44.0'S
-159deg -49.6'E
| On the western side of the upper portion of the valley floor surface of the Northwind Valley, 7.5km west of Larsen Crag; a broad, slightly undulating, moderately weathered |
| till-covered surface |
2
NE
1,100
cf. Notes for GEOLAND below
| Xerous; no snow patches, snow banks or seepage but the lower 15cm of the soil above the |
| frozen ground is moist |
-26
Central mountain
Bouldery till from dolerite, granite and sandstone
A few small occurrences of lichens in cracks of rocks
Moderately developed patterned ground across the surface but the surface expression is somewhat subdued with cracks less than 50cm deep
| SURFACE WEATHERING or |
| SURFACE FEATURES |
cf. Notes for SURFWEA below
Nil
504a 2-0cm
101
surface pebbles, boulders and granular gravel
102
rock particles subrounded and subangular and moderately stained,
504b 0-2cm
201
dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) sandy cobble gravel
202
weakly cohesive with weakly developed vesicular structure
203
some small salt flecks
204
rock particles subrounded, moderately stained and moderately altered
205
distinct boundary,
504c 12-30cm
401
dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) cobbly sandy gravel
402
very firm, ice cemented
403
rock particles subrounded to subangular, strongly stained and moderately altered
404
sharp boundary, on frozen ground
504c 2-12cm
301
dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4 moist) gravelly sand
302
weakly cohesive and weakly frosted
303
| larger rock particles weakly stained but smaller particles subrounded, strongly stained and moderately to strongly |
| altered |
304
indistinct boundary,
Yes
a,b,c,d,e
hard ice-cemented
30
4
(30 cm)
Geoland
| The surface is formed below a prominent bench that encircles the head of the valley; the till is dominated by dolerite but contains some pink granite, which |
| suggests a down-valley source or an early up-valley ice invasion, possibly from a previously enlarged Fry Glacier or a former West Antarctic Ice Sheet |
| expansion |
Surfwea
| Occasional upstanding boulders and these have weak cavernous weathering; most surface boulders are small, (250-750mm) flattened, subrounded abraded and |
| stained; minor pitting occurs on fine grained dolerite rocks; the pavement surface is moderately developed; |
| Soluble Salt |
| Concentration |
50400003
64.00
84.00
6.00
2.00
1.00
1.00
4.00
2.00
0.22
50400002
68.00
70.00
16.00
6.00
2.00
1.00
3.00
2.00
0.23
50400001
50400004
53.00
68.00
14.00
7.00
3.00
2.00
2.00
3.00
0.20
50400005
50400003
8.00
0.04
0.29
0.04
0.07
0.11
0.01
0.11
50400002
7.40
0.12
0.80
0.10
0.09
0.10
0.01
0.56
0.04
50400001
50400004
7.90
0.03
0.20
0.05
0.10
0.02
0.01
0.06
50400005
50400003
15
30
5
5
45
50400002
25
5
5
10
5
15
35
50400001
50400004
20
5
25
10
40
50400005
12-Dec-2005
Page 462 of 896
504
