Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
512000
512
20-Jan-1983
IBC, GGC
Convoy Range, Trans-antarctic Mountains, Alatna valley
Soil weathering examination
CS & B&W Pro & Lscp
No
160.9920
-76.9000
76deg 54.0'S
-160deg -59.5'E
Approximately 1km W of Battleship Promontory and north of a prominent sandstone escarpment; a sloping moraine surface high on the valley side near the centre of a |
patterned ground polygon |
5
N
975
Ferrar Dolerite and Beacon Sandstone are the local rocks; the till includes some granite and other basement rock; these are not found up-valley so must have originated from |
the east; the till at the site appears to be the oldest of the lower valley tills |
A north facing face with few snow patches; no soil moistening evident
-28
Central mountain
Dolerite, sandstone and granite stony till; the sand fraction is dominantly derived from sandstone
Nil observed
Moderately developed broad nets with 75cm troughs
SURFACE WEATHERING or |
SURFACE FEATURES |
cf. Notes for SURFWEA below
Nil
512a 3-0cm
101
surface pebbly to bouldery sandy gravel
102
pavement well developed with larger clasts subrounded and moderately stained,
512b 0-5cm
201
strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) sandy gravel
202
weakly cohesive
203
moderately developed vesicular structure
204
a few scattered salt patches
205
a few ghosts
206
few thin darker oxidation patches around some clasts
207
larger rock particles mainly subangular and moderately stained with some distinctly altered
208
smaller particles subrounded to rounded distinct boundary,
512c 5-16cm
301
strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) sandy gravel
302
moderately cohesive
303
weakly developed vesicular structure
304
may diffuse salts throughout
305
a few ghosts
306
larger rock particles subangular and weakly to moderately stained with some distinctly altered
307
smaller particles rounded to subrounded
308
distinct boundary,
512d 16-22cm
401
strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) very sandy gravel
402
loose to weakly cohesive
403
few scattered salt flecks
404
larger rock particles weakly to moderately stained and moderately altered
405
smaller particles rounded to subrounded
406
indistinct boundary,
512e 22-35cm
501
strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) gravelly sand
502
loose
503
larger particles angular, weakly to moderately stained and some distinctly altered
504
smaller particles rounded to subrounded
505
sharp boundary, on hard ice-cemented ground
Yes
a,b,c,d,e,f
Hard ice-cemented
35
3/4
(35cm)
Surfwea
A moderately bouldery surface with some upstanding boulders; moderately developed pavement; moderate to strong abrasion on up-wind side with marked |
staining on rock surfaces on lee sides; some wind ripples on flat lying clasts and minor pitting; some clasts with salt accumulations beneath |
Soluble Salt |
Concentration |
51200002
91.00
43.00
35.00
11.00
2.00
2.00
4.00
3.00
0.17
51200003
83.00
35.00
39.00
15.00
2.00
2.00
4.00
3.00
0.19
51200004
85.00
28.00
45.00
17.00
2.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
0.15
51200001
51200005
54.00
29.00
48.00
15.00
2.00
2.00
3.00
2.00
0.15
51200006
51200002
8.50
1.06
3.80
4.60
0.59
0.03
0.01
7.40
0.70
51200003
8.90
1.95
8.00
2.60
1.20
0.05
0.01
6.90
1.40
51200004
9.10
1.30
6.10
1.00
0.54
0.02
0.01
2.80
1.90
51200001
51200005
9.00
0.26
1.50
0.06
0.25
0.02
0.01
1.00
0.40
51200006
thenardite, mirabilite
51200002
20
10
40
10
20
51200003
30
50
5
5
10
51200004
15
15
35
25
51200001
51200005
30
45
10
5
10
51200006
12-Dec-2005
Page 470 of 896
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