Antarctic Soil Database with Temperature and Chemical Properties

This dataset contains detailed soil profile and environmental measurements from 482 sites in the McMurdo Sound area of Antarctica. Data includes site information, air and soil temperatures, surface boulder weathering, and chemical and physical properties for 214 sites. It was collected by Dr. James G. Bockheim and colleagues between 1975 and 1987.

Use Cases

• Analyzing soil temperature gradients and air temperature relationships across 482 Antarctic sites.
• Classifying soil profiles based on documented features like horizons, texture, structure, and color.
• Modeling soil chemistry and salinity using measurements from 214 specific sampling locations.
• Correlating surface boulder weathering features with site-specific environmental conditions.
• Mapping soil property distribution within the confined study area from 77°7.5'S to 78°S, 160°E to 164°E.

Strengths

• Contains data from a substantial 482 distinct field sites in Antarctica.
• Includes detailed chemical and physical property measurements for a subset of 214 sites.
• Covers a 12-year temporal range from 1975 to 1987, providing a multi-year snapshot.
• Provides precise geospatial bounding coordinates for the study area.

Limitations

• The exact row count and full column schema are not provided by any source.
• Sources conflict on the last updated date, listing both 1987-12-31 and 2026-03 12.
• The specific license terms under 'other-license-specified' are not detailed.

Provenance

Source

Dr. James G. Bockheim and colleagues, University of Wisconsin.

Collection Method

Field data collection at Antarctic sites.

Time Range

1975 through 1987

Freshness

2026-03-12 20:31:44.941539

Geography

McMurdo Sound area, Antarctica (77°7.5'S to 78°S, 160°E to -164°E).