Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
831000
831
9-Jan-1998
IBC DSS WM
S. side of U.Taylor Glac. bet W.Beacon & New Mountain; small relict hanging valley 2km E of Arena Valley, in upper higher part of valley to S of sites 827&828; site is approx. 2km NW of New Mountain
Soil salts investigation
Not recorded
P & LScp CS
GPS
161.0630
-77.8573
77deg 51.44'S
-161deg -3.78'E
cf. Notes for DESCR below
0
nil
1,800
cf. Notes for GEOLAND below
(flat)
A dry soil environment but recent snow fall has resulted in some moistening of the soil |
surface to 8 cm; no liquid water observed |
-30
Xerous to subxerous, inland mountains
Dolerite and sandstone, very bouldery till; the coarse fraction is mainly dolerite clasts but the fine fraction is largely sandstone quartz grains
Nil observed
Nil
SURFACE WEATHERING or |
SURFACE FEATURES |
cf. Notes for SURFWEA below
Not pristine but no indication of previous disturbances
831a 3-0cm
101
surface cobbles and pebbles and loose granular sand
102
rounded to subrounded and strongly oxidised,
831b 0-5cm
201
yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) gravelly coarse sand
202
weakly to moderately cohesive
203
highly variable texture and colour range with some reddish patches
204
some salts beneath surface stones and scattered throughout
205
rock particles subrounded and strongly oxidised with sandstone clasts disaggregated
206
indistinct boundary,
831c 5-10cm
301
brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) gravelly sand
302
moderately cohesive
303
some salts
304
unevenly weathered but many clasts completely decomposed and reduced to ghosts
305
rock particles stained and some strongly altered
306
distinct boundary,
831d 10-14cm
401
brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) gravelly sand
402
firm to very firm and strongly salt cemented
403
salt cementing largely concentrated around larger clasts and the salty horizon is variable in its depth and |
thickness, |
831e 14-22cm
501
pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) gravelly silty sand
502
loose
503
scattered salt diffused flecks
504
some clasts completely disaggregated
505
indistinct boundary,
831f 22-30cm
601
pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) cobbly to bouldery sand
602
loose
603
some scattered salt flecks
604
some clasts oxidised and strongly altered
605
distinct boundary,
831g 30-65cm
701
light grey (2.5Y 7/2) bouldery sandy gravel
702
loose but boulders tightly packed
703
some salt flecks
704
rock particles angular and fresh but some altered and some ghosts of disaggregated sandstone clasts
705
indistinct boundary, on very compact till (paleosol) comprising subrounded oxidised pebbles and cobbles
Yes
Dry frozen
10
4
(~10cm)
Descr
The site is on a rising undulating floor of an upper level valley; the ground surface is rather hummocky, possibly due to deposition of local alpine moraine; |
landscape features and site features were difficult to assess because of recent blanketing with snow |
Geoland
Local outcropping rocks are Ferrar Dolerite and Beacon Sandstone; this part of the valley is above the level of granitic moraines and the till deposits appear to be |
of local origin from local cirque or alpine valley glaciation; no erratic material was observed; |
Surfwea
Strongly stained dolerite and oxidised sandstone surface boulders; sandstones, cavernously weathered and dolerite with well developed pitting; a well developed |
pavement surface amongst medium boulders; abundant salts beneath surface boulders and salts are cemented and crystalline |
Soluble Salt |
Concentration |
83100002
83100003
83100001
83100004
83100005
83100006
83100007
83100002
6.10
4.90
6.57
12.83
8.83
0.16
1.66
17.55
10.26
83100003
7.40
10.46
18.30
8.48
51.25
0.32
1.64
56.13
19.34
83100001
5.80
1.75
1.41
7.08
1.54
0.05
0.30
8.40
1.45
83100004
7.40
7.26
27.83
1.93
6.54
0.32
1.04
27.35
9.15
83100005
7.50
5.50
16.52
9.50
13.08
0.44
0.94
28.67
10.26
83100006
7.50
3.62
5.57
6.35
7.96
0.37
0.94
12.55
6.64
83100007
7.50
2.43
2.52
7.48
3.33
0.11
0.74
9.54
2.86
83100002
83100003
83100001
83100004
83100005
83100006
83100007
12-Dec-2005
Page 808 of 896
831