Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
832000
832
9-Jan-1998
IBC DSS WM
South side of Upper Taylor Glacier between West Beacon and New Mountain; a small relict hanging valley 2 km east of Arena Valley
Soil water loss after snowfall, sampled 18 and 36 hours after initial sampling for soil 830
Not recorded
Lscp CS
GPS
161.0670
-77.8368
77deg 50.21'S
-161deg -4.02'E
cf. Notes for DESCR below
20
NE
1,500
cf. Notes for GEOLAND below
nmt98.htm#832_Soilmois
-30
Xerous to subxerous, inland mountains
Dominantly dolerite and sandstone bouldery till with some granite; non ice-cemented
Nil observed
Nil at site
| SURFACE WEATHERING or |
| SURFACE FEATURES |
cf. Notes for SURFWEA below
The area was disturbed in 1987 and a camp site, a former pit site and helicopter skid marks were still visible
832
101
profile description as for soil 828 some 25m away sampled at the same site, 18 hours after the first sampling
832a 0-3cm
201
soil surface
832b 3-10cm
301
salty horizon
832c 10-15m
401
beneath salty horizon subsequent sampling 18 hours later
832d 0-3cm
501
soil surface
832e 3-10cm
601
salty horizon
832f 10-15cm
701
beneath salty horizon
Yes
Dry frozen
10
4
(~10cm)
Descr
| The site is located near the mouth of a small hanging valley on a flattish surface, about 100 m up valley from the escarpment formed by the break in slope with |
| the side of the upper Taylor Valley; the site is a stable glacial retreat surface which gently rises up valley to the south and is notable for the occurrence of some |
| very large (circa 6 m) granite boulders; a somewhat windy site on occasions, the sample site was approximately 20 m N of the camp site |
Geoland
| Local outcropping rocks are Ferrar Dolerite and Beacon Sandstone; the valley entrance, floor and part of the valley sides, however, have till deposits of |
| non-local origin which include the now familiar granite erratic tills deposited as an up-valley re-advance from the Taylor Glacier into what may have been old |
| empty hanging cirque valleys; multiple re- invasions of ice into this valley are indicated by paleosols in the till deposits; the proportion of granite erratic in these |
| valley floor tills appears to diminish up valley, which again suggests multiple ice event deposition; the possibility of ice invasion with minimal till deposition |
| exists as some sandstone boulders are pale coloured and weakly oxidised, contrasting with surrounding strongly oxidised sandstone clasts |
Soilmois
| Recent snowfall and some moisture in surface horizons which froze; lower horizons dry; snow patches are scarce and no liquid water observed; samples a-c |
| were collected 18 hours after the initial sampling after some drying had occurred and samples d-f 24 hours later |
Surfwea
| There is a well developed desert pavement of pebbles and cobbles with some flattish boulders, all showing some ventifaction; the very large granite boulders are |
| rounded and have moderately oxidised surfaces but appear to sit on the surface suggesting that these may have been a later addition; some smaller granite |
| boulders however are strongly disaggregated; pitting on dolerite is well developed as are oxidation and polish; thick encrusting salt deposits occur beneath many |
| surface clasts |
| Soluble Salt |
| Concentration |
83200001
83200002
83200003
83200004
83200005
83200006
83200001
83200002
83200003
83200004
83200005
83200006
83200001
83200002
83200003
83200004
83200005
83200006
12-Dec-2005
Page 809 of 896
832