Glacial geology and soil development near Toolik Lake, northern Alaska

Jeffrey S. Munroe

Department of Geology & Geophysics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1215 West Dayton Street, Madison WI, U.S.A., 53706-1692

Current email: jmunroe@middlebury.edu

 

In July of 1995, the glacial geology of a 50 square mile area between Galbraith Lake and Toolik Lake in the Arctic Foothills was mapped on color infrared airphotos in the field at approximately 1:40000. Map units include lake plain, stabilized Holocene alluvium, active Holocene alluvium, active slumps, ground moraine, end moraine, kames, eskers, outwash, and dissected outwash terraces. Areas of extensive patterned ground features were also mapped. Three glacial advances, dating to early Wisconsin, late Wisconsin and latest Wisconsin are reported from the mapping area.  Thirty-six soil profiles were described; all classify as Gelisols.  The physical similarity of soils on the different age surfaces was striking, and presumably reflects the effects of active frost churning in the soils.  Yet calculation of profile weathering products within the soil pedons indicates that weathering products have accumulated in these soils over time.  This result indicates that the soil chronosequence model can be applied to carefully selected suites of cryoturbated soils.


This page was last updated in March 1996, by J. Munroe.