Examination of the soils and moraines in the Convay Range and Coombs Hills areas to determine their relationship to the glacial history of the area

The soils north of the Mackay Glacier were investigated for their age and relationship to the glacial history of Antarctica. The main areas of field work were to the west of the Fry Glacier in the Convoy Range and Coombs Hills areas. These areas provided evidence for backflooding of ice to high levels at a relatively early stage of the Antarctic glaciation. The soils were examined (pits dug and soils sieved) and sampled from the ice edge of the Cambridge Glacier to close to the summit of Mt Brooke, on Elkhorn Ridge, the Northwind Valley floor to the snout of the Northwind Glacier (Convoy Range) and in Alatna and Towel Valley. Some landforms were investigated in Alatna Valley to explain their origin and peculiar features and high surfaces of the Convoy Range were also investigated. The lower part of the valleys are filled with moraines and frost polygons. The moraines between Mt Gran and Mt Bergen in the Alatna Valley (near Battleship Promontery) were examined in detail to determine their relationship to the glacial history of Antarctica. Soil profiles were examined and samples collected for analysis.