Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
602000
602
6-Feb-1990
IBC, GGGC, MRB
Pram Point, Scott Base, Ross Island
Soil contamination examination from a previous fuel leakage situation
Dept of Interior US Geological Survey 1986
Cs Lscp
Yes
166.7660
-77.8597
77deg 51.58'S
-166deg -45.96'E
cf. Notes for DESCR below
1
SE
18
cf. Notes for GEOLAND below
Some surface thaw water during summer; site often moist; some snow patches from recent |
snowfall; just above the frozen ground, material resembling compacted snow was noted |
-18
Coastal Antarctic
Sandy to silty drift with some scattered small scoria boulders
Some dried algae at the surface
Nil but indications of some flow feaatures
SURFACE WEATHERING or |
SURFACE FEATURES |
Unweathered surface but calcium carbonate accumulations beneath some surface clasts
Treading activity and probably some mechanical disturbance; fuel leakage from pipe joints observed on previous occasions
602a 0-5cm
101
greyish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty to sandy gravel
102
slightly sticky
103
distinct smell of hydrocarbon
104
indistinct boundary,
602b 5-20cm
201
greyish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty to sandy gravel
202
slightly sticky
203
distinct smell of hydrocarbon
204
indistinct boundary,
602c 20-35cm
301
greyish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty to sandy gravel
302
slightly sticky
303
distinct smell of hydrocarbon
304
distinct boundary,
602d 35-45cm
401
very dark greyish brown (2.5Y 3/2) silty to sandy gravel
402
moist
403
slightly sticky
404
distinct smell of hydrocarbon
405
sharp boundary, drill core in ice-cemented ground
602e 45-53cm
501
[ very dark greyish brown (moist 10YR 3/2) sandy gravel
502
slight smell of hydrocarbon,
602f 53-61cm
601
[ very dark grey (moist 10YR 3/1) sandy gravel
602
slight hydrocarbon smell,
602g 61-67cm
701
[ very dark greyish brown (moist 10YR 4/2) sandy gravel,
602h 67-79cm
801
[ very dark grey (moist 10YR 3/10 sandy graavel,
602i 79-88cm
901
[ greyish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy gravel,
602j 88-103cm
1001
[ greyish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy gravel,
602k 103-111cm
1101
[ greyish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy gravel
Yes
hard ice-cemented
45
1
(45cm)
Descr
Near the northwest end of Scott Base buildings and 30m from a survey benchmark; 5m downslope from a post carrying lines; 2m downslope from the fuel |
pipeline from McMurdo Station; the site is at the lower end of a sloping hollow, perhaps a nivation cirque in otherwise gently sloping terrain |
Geoland
Rocks are predominantly scoria flows of the McMurdo Volcanics; Last Glaciation Ross 1 ice covered the site and traces of rocks (sandstone and granite granules |
and small pebbles) probably from the Royal Society Range can be found; the drift mantle is thin and patchy with bedrock a little below the surface; the site |
appears to have an accumulation of some finer textured sediment or drift material |
Soluble Salt |
Concentration |
60200001
602a
0-5cm
0
5
none
60200002
602b
5-20cm
5
20
none
60200003
602c
20-35cm
20
35
none
60200004
602d
35-45cm
35
45
none
60200005
602e
45-53cm
45
53
none
60200006
602f
53-61cm
53
61
none
60200007
602g
61-67cm
61
67
none
60200008
602h
67-79cm
67
79
none
60200009
602i
79-88cm
79
88
none
60200010
602j
88-103cm
88
103
none
60200011
602k
103-111cm
103
111
none
60200002
60200003
60200001
60200004
60200005
60200006
60200007
60200008
60200009
60200010
60200011
60200002
60200003
60200001
60200004
60200005
60200006
60200007
60200008
60200009
60200010
60200011
60200002
60200003
60200001
60200004
60200005
60200006
60200007
60200008
60200009
60200010
60200011
12-Dec-2005
Page 560 of 896
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