Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
530000
530
6-Jan-1988
IBC, GGC
Convoy Range, Transantarctic Mountains; Alatna Valley
Soil weathering examination
Ross Island & Vicinity, Antarctica, 1:250 000 US Geological Survey, 1986
CS Pro
No
161.2500
-76.8667
76deg 52.0'S
-161deg -15.0'E
| Central Alatna Valley, approximately 10km NNE of Battleship Promontory; 500m from the southern edge of the stagnant Staten Island Heights glacier; on an undulating |
| moraine surface |
0
Nil
1,000
cf. Notes for GEOLAND below
(0o)
| Some snow in the patterned ground cracks; recent light snow fall but negligible soil |
| moistening |
-25
Coastal Mountain, xerous to subxerous
Sandy till from dolerite, granite and sandstone
Nil observed
Moderately developed broad nets; some active cracks up to 50cm deep
| SURFACE WEATHERING or |
| SURFACE FEATURES |
cf. Notes for SURFWEA below
Nil
530a 3-0cm
101
surface small boulders, cobbles and pebbly sandy gravel
102
clasts subangular to subrounded
103
moderately stained with up-wind abrasion
104
some clast spalling,
530b 0-5cm
201
strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) granular sand (90% <2mm)
202
moderately weakly cohesive
203
moderately developed vesicular structure with a distinct crust
204
a few fine salt flecks
205
rock particles subangular to subrounded, weakly to moderately stained with a few partly altered
206
distinct boundary,
530c 5-15cm
301
strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) granular sand 9(95% <2mm)
302
weakly cohesive
303
few fine diffuse salt flecks
304
small rock particles angular and weakly to moderately stained, smaller particles subrounded
305
indistinct boundary,
530d 15-20cm
401
strong brown to brown (7.5YR 5/6 - 5/4) very sandy gravel (87% <2mm)
402
weakly cohesive
403
very few fine salt flecks
404
larger rock particles angular and weakly to moderately stained, smaller particles subangular to subrounded
405
sharp boundary,
530e 20-28cm
501
brown to dark brown (7.5YR 4/4 moist) very sandy gravel
502
firmly cohesive
503
frosted
504
rock particles subangular and weakly to moderately stained
505
sharp boundary, on hard ice-cemented ground
Yes
a,b,c,d,e
Hard ice-cemented
28
4
Geoland
| Alatna Valley has formed through ice recession from the Benson Glacier and ice from Staten Island Heights; the local rocks are extensive Beacon Sandstone |
| outcrops capped with Ferrar Dolerite; granite outliers are also present; the presence of pink Irizar Granite indicates earlier up-valley ice movement; soil ages may |
| be complicated the rate at which local ice masses have retreated |
Surfwea
| Dolerite clasts strongly stained on lee sides but abraded on up-wind sides; oxidised faces with distinct weathering rhinds; some exfoliation of weathering rhinds; |
| most clasts subrounded; weakly to moderately formed cobble to boulder pavement with some ventiforms; salts beneath some surface clasts; some wind ripples |
| on flat lying rock surfaces |
| Soluble Salt |
| Concentration |
53000001
53000002
95.00
36.80
44.40
9.50
1.70
1.10
3.90
2.20
0.40
53000003
99.00
26.00
49.80
17.30
2.10
1.00
2.00
1.40
0.30
53000004
98.00
21.50
50.90
21.00
2.80
0.90
1.30
1.30
0.30
53000005
99.00
22.20
50.20
22.30
2.40
0.70
0.90
1.00
0.30
53000001
53000002
7.70
1.90
0.60
8.15
3.30
3.15
6.20
1.70
53000003
8.40
0.26
0.04
0.70
0.20
0.01
0.40
0.40
0.10
53000004
8.80
0.22
0.04
0.31
0.10
0.01
0.40
0.30
0.20
53000005
8.70
0.24
0.03
0.15
0.06
0.01
0.50
0.30
0.30
53000001
53000002
53000003
53000004
53000005
12-Dec-2005
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