Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
646000
646
5-Dec-1991
IBC, GGC, MRB
Marble Point, western McMurdo Sound
Soil weathering examination
USGS Antarctica Topographic Series 1:50,000; Marble Point, Antarctica
CS Pro
No
163.6930
-77.4083
77deg 24.5'S
-163deg -41.6'E
Approximately 1km NE of the Marble Point Air Facility on the side of a gently sloping hill with rocky outcrops; approximately 2 thirds way up the slope; a stepped surface and |
on a level slope |
0
Nil
90
cf. Notes for GEOLAND below
A dry site, no soil moistening observed
-18
Coastal Antarctic
Weathered gneiss and micaceous rock with strong weathering zonation
Nil at site but moss and cyanobacteria locally common
Nil
SURFACE WEATHERING or |
SURFACE FEATURES |
Bluish and greenish decomposed rock material
Nil at site
646a 0-4cm
101
olive (5Y 6/4) bouldery gravelly sand
102
moderately cohesive
103
slightly moist
104
probably hygroscopic due to presence of salts
105
distinct boundary,
646b 4-9cm
201
light grey (5Y 7/2) micaceous sand
202
moderately cohesive
203
slightly moist
204
profuse diffuse crystalline salts
205
distinct boundary,
646c 9-25cm
301
olive (5Y 4/3) micaceous coarse sand
302
loose,
646d 10-15cm
401
yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) micaceous granular sand
402
loose
403
indistinct boundary,
646e 15-20cm
501
light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) micaceous granular sand
502
moderately cohesive
503
moderately developed vesicular structure,
646f 15-20cm
601
light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) micaceous granular sand
602
moderately cohesive
603
moderately developed vesicular structure
604
some rock particles strongly altered
605
indistinct boundary,
646g 20-25cm
701
greenish grey (5GY 5/1) micaceous granular sand
702
moderately cohesive
703
profuse diffuse salt crystals
Yes
a,b,c,d,e,f,g
0
5
Geoland
The coastal hills of the Marble Point region have an intermittent till mantle and bedrock outcrops in numerous places; the rocks are mainly gneisses and |
granodiorite; in places decomposed rock material occurs with colours ranging from blackish to reddish brown; these weathered materials may represent residual |
weathering from an older landscape |
Soluble Salt |
Concentration |
64600002
9.40
24.50
36.10
18.90
4.80
5.00
1.20
0.10
64600003
50.30
26.10
14.00
3.50
1.20
2.30
2.50
0.10
64600004
18.90
23.80
24.10
13.20
8.30
8.60
2.60
0.50
64600005
10.50
21.50
26.00
14.20
8.80
7.20
11.40
0.40
64600006
27.50
23.10
21.10
9.90
6.20
4.80
7.10
0.30
64600001
21.10
15.70
24.40
15.50
12.00
8.60
2.30
0.40
64600007
22.50
10.20
18.00
13.20
11.20
11.00
13.50
0.30
64600002
8.80
2.70
8.95
0.95
0.55
0.50
9.60
0.40
0.14
64600003
8.70
2.00
7.90
0.85
0.80
0.55
9.40
0.30
0.14
64600004
8.50
5.00
21.40
1.45
1.25
1.80
24.10
0.70
0.21
64600005
8.00
3.20
10.75
2.90
0.29
1.05
15.00
0.70
0.21
64600006
8.30
1.80
6.10
1.35
1.05
1.75
7.90
0.60
0.13
64600001
8.90
28.00
165.00
4.75
4.00
4.25
34.50
7.50
0.86
64600007
7.70
10.50
37.20
6.25
11.75
3.50
56.80
0.25
1.78
64600002
30
30
10
12
20
10
15
64600003
4
5
19
22
10
10
64600004
5
30
2
12
21
12
14
64600005
5
36
4
18
28
12
2
64600006
7
31
2
25
23
13
2
64600001
10
35
3
7
30
15
5
64600007
2
28
7
45
12
10
12-Dec-2005
Page 604 of 896
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