Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
712000
712
6-Jan-1993
IBC, GGC
Cape Roberts, at the north western end of McMurdo Sound and at the northern end of the Wilson Piedmont Glacier
Cape Roberts soil examination for the CEE for the proposed McMurdo Sound Stratigraphic Drilling project
not recorded
CS Pro & Lscp
No
163.1830
-77.5000
77deg 30.0'S
-163deg -11.0'E
The site is located at the southern end of a gently sloping, fine gravelly area and a little to the south-west of the site of existing NZAP huts
3
S
2
cf. Notes for GEOLAND below
(3o)
oceanic subxerous; the soil has water at 50cm depth
-17
coastal Antarctic
unweathered sandy gravel beach deposits from dominantly granodiorite and gneissic rocks
| not active at the profile site apart from some slight algal crusting; abundant algal and some moss accumulations in other places where water is abundant; |
| Skuas are abundant and the ground surface has noticeable accumulations of guano |
| SURFACE WEATHERING or |
| SURFACE FEATURES |
bright oxide staining in patches on some surface rocks; some slight exfoliation; clasts mainly rounded to subrounded due to beach abrasion
the site has been subjected to low levels of disturbance from previous activities at Cape Roberts;
712a 0-2cm
101
light grey (5Y 7/1) pebbly sand
102
weakly cohesive with a distinct crust formed from guano accumulation
103
rock particles subangular
104
distinct boundary,
712b 2-10cm
201
light grey (5Y 7/1) sand
202
moist
203
weakly cohesive
204
white salts precipitating on the drying exposed surface
205
rock particles subangular and unstained
206
distinct boundary,
712c 10-23cm
301
light grey (5Y 7/1) sand
302
moist
303
some faint patchy diffuse oxidation resembling coarse mottles
304
rock particles subangular and unstained
305
sharp boundary,
712d 23-27cm
401
light grey (5Y 7/1) pebbly granular gravel
402
loose
403
moist
404
some faint patchy oxide staining
405
rock particles subangular
406
sharp boundary,
712e 27-30cm
501
grey (5Y 5/1) sand
502
moist
503
cohesive
504
rock particles subangular and unstained
505
distinct boundary,
712f 30-50cm
601
grey (5Y 5/1) cobbly gravelly sand
602
moist
603
cohesive
604
some oxidation around some clasts
605
rock particles subangular to subrounded
606
sharp boundary, on wet saturated sand with a watertable at 50cm.
yes
50
1
(>50)
Geoland
| The rocks of the area are granodiorites that have been largely planed by ice movement then subject to some weathering processes by beach and wave action; |
| isostatic uplift has resulted in beach terracing with the raised beaches comprising mainly coarse boulder gravels; some schist/gneiss and occasional dolerite clasts |
| in the beach gravels are indicative of residual tills; bedrock outcrops widely forming an in situ large bouldery surface; fine gravel deposits occupy a small area |
| only |
| Soluble Salt |
| Concentration |
71200001
712a
0-2cm
0
2
23.00
none
71200002
712b
2-10cm
2
10
23.00
none
71200003
712c
10-23cm
10
23
10.80
none
71200004
712d
23-27cm
23
27
9.50
none
71200005
712e
27-30cm
27
30
9.20
none
71200006
712f
30-50cm
30
50
9.40
none
71200001
2.40
71200002
7.30
71200003
16.60
71200004
9.50
71200005
9.20
71200006
9.40
71200001
71200002
71200003
71200004
71200005
71200006
71200001
71200002
71200003
71200004
71200005
71200006
12-Dec-2005
Page 670 of 896
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