Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
538000
538
11-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
160.6330
-76.6833
76deg 41.0'S
-160deg -38.0'E
Toward the southwestern end of Towle Valley; the site is adjacent to a rocky dolerite knoll on the valley floor
0
Nil
1,150
cf. Notes for GEOLAND below
(0o)
| Recent snow cover shows evidence of thaw, especially against rocks; the soils are moist in |
| places and appear to be periodically wet |
-26
Coastal Mountain, xerous to subxerous
Fragmented dolerite from bedrock fretting
Some yellow and orange lichen
Nil
| SURFACE WEATHERING or |
| SURFACE FEATURES |
| Strong surface oxidation of dolerite boulders and outcrop surfaces; distinct and moderately deep pitting on bedrock and surface clasts; non pavementic or |
| ventiformed |
Nil
538a 10-0cm
101
surface boulders, cobbles and pebbles
102
clasts pitted and strongly stained
103
rounded through exfoliation,
538b 0-8cm
201
dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4 moist) granular sand with boulders
202
frozen
203
firmly cohesive
204
moderately developed vesicular structure
205
rock particles subrounded, strongly stained and partly altered
206
distinct boundary,
538c 8-22cm
301
strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) sandy granular gravel between fragmented dolerite clasts
302
loose to weakly cohesive
303
abundant salts diffused throughout
304
larger rock clasts angular and fresh but coated with fines
305
smaller particles subrounded, strongly stained and some partly altered
306
irregular boundary,
538d 22-50cm
401
strong brown to dark brown (7.5YR 5/6 - 4/4) sandy granular gravel between fragmented bedrock clasts
402
loose
403
some scattered salts
404
larger rock particles angular and fresh but with some thin coatings of fines
405
smaller particles subrounded
406
moderately to strongly stained and partly altered on fractured dolerite bedrock
Yes
b,c,d
dry-frozen
50
4
(<50cm)
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 |
53800002
53800003
53800004
53800001
53800002
6.60
1.00
0.20
2.75
1.40
0.02
1.00
4.70
0.30
53800003
7.10
0.06
0.70
10.00
2.20
0.01
4.70
10.10
2.60
53800004
7.90
2.20
0.80
7.50
2.00
3.20
10.60
1.40
53800001
53800002
53800003
53800004
53800001
12-Dec-2005
Page 496 of 896
538
