Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
535000
535
10-Jan-1988
IBC, GGC
Convoy Range, Transantarctic Mountains; Towle Valley
Soil weathering examination
Ross Island & Vicinity, Antarctica, 1:250 000 US Geological Survey, 1986
CS Lscp & Pro
No
161.8170
-76.6667
76deg 40.0'S
-161deg -49.0'E
At the Northeastern end of the Towle Valley; on a low moraine ridge about 150m from the Towle Glacier; on the crest of the low ridge
0
Nil
900
cf. Notes for GEOLAND below
(0o)
Recent snow cover shows evidence of widespread thaw; the soils are moist in places and |
appear to be periodically wet; water occurs in some small pools |
-24
Coastal Mountain, xerous to subxerous
Bouldery dolerite till, possibly pre-weathered
Yellow lichens occur in patches; cyanobacteria in pools
Weakly developed with some small micro-polygons
SURFACE WEATHERING or |
SURFACE FEATURES |
Extensive bouldery surfaces with predominantly angular clasts; some boulders showing extensive spalling and fragmentation and some crumbling; salts |
encrust undersides of many clasts; surface staining nil to some distinct |
Nil
535a 3-0cm
101
surface bouldery gravel
102
larger clasts subangular and weakly stained
103
smaller particles subrounded, moderately stained and some distinctly altered,
535b 0-4cm
201
brown to dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) sandy gravel
202
moist
203
moderately cohesive
204
some intergranular salt crystals
205
larger rock particles subangular
206
smaller particles subrounded, moderately stained and distinctly altered
207
distinct boundary,
535c 4-9cm
301
brown to strong brown (7.5YR 4/4 - 5/6) sandy gravel
302
moist and with some ice crystals
303
moderately cohesive
304
moderately developed vesicular structure
305
distinct silty coatings on many rock particles
306
rock particles mainly subangular and unstained
307
smaller particles subrounded, weakly stained and weakly altered
308
distinct boundary,
535d 9-24cm
401
strong brown to brown (7.5YR 5/6 - 4/4) sandy gravel
402
moist
403
weakly cohesive
404
larger rock particles subangular and unstained, smaller particles subrounded and weakly stained
405
some distinct silty coatings
406
sharp boundary, on hard ice-cemented ground
Yes
a,b,c,d
Hard ice-cemented
24
1
(24cm)
Geoland
Towle Valley is formed almost entirely in dolerite; the tills, moraines and soils indicate a northeasterly retreat of the Towle Glacier from the valley; land surfaces |
on the lower valley floor appear not to be very old; the tills may be rather old but may have been over-ridden by repeated incursions of the Towle Glacier into |
the valley; a few granite clasts are present; there may have been some re-working of older tills |
Soluble Salt |
Concentration |
53500001
53500002
39.00
82.50
12.40
2.90
0.80
0.40
0.30
0.50
0.20
53500003
64.00
53.80
26.20
13.90
3.60
1.00
0.80
0.40
0.30
53500004
53500001
53500002
7.90
0.04
53500003
8.10
0.06
53500004
7.90
0.04
53500001
53500002
53500003
53500004
12-Dec-2005
Page 493 of 896
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