Hampton Field Guide

Location: Hampton, Virginia

Latitude: 37° 03′ 24″ N

Longitude: 76° 22′ 36″ W

Elevation: 4 meters AMSL

Geological Formation: Yorktown Formation (Holocene coastal plain deposits)

Survey Date: 2026-07-20 | Observer: Cathy Mcmasters

Primary Classification: Fine-loamy, siliceous, semiactive, thermic Typic Paleudults

Texture Class: Clay Loam (24–35% clay, 45–50% sand, remainder silt)

pH (saturation extract): 5.8 ± 0.3 (acidic, requiring liming for legume cultivation)

Cation Exchange Capacity: 12–18 cmol(+)/kg

Organic Matter Content: 2.1% (topsoil, 0–15 cm)

Drainage Class: Moderately Well-Drained

Percolation Rate (double-ring infiltrometer): 1.2 mm/min at field capacity

Thermal Conductivity (λ): 1.42 W/(m·K) @ 15% volumetric water content

Volumetric Heat Capacity (ρcₚ): 2.3 × 10⁶ J/(m³·K)

Thermal Diffusivity (α): 6.17 × 10⁻⁷ m²/s

Annual Surface Temperature Swing: 28.4°C (NOAA NCEI normals, 1991–2020)

These constants drive the Root Cellar Calculator. The burial depth of 2.17 meters is not arbitrary; it is the solution to d = √(α·τ/π) where τ = 365.25 days.

Zone 7b Microclimate Cultivars:

• Rosmarinus officinalis 'Prostratus' — drought-resistant, 85% survival rate
• Salvia officinalis 'Purpurascens' — requires 12-hour photoperiod for essential oil synthesis
• Mentha spicata 'Moroccan Mint' — invasive rhizome containment required
• Origanum vulgare 'Greek Mountain Oregano' — calcicole, thrives at pH 6.2+
• Foeniculum vulgare 'Florence' — biennial, vernalization requirement 72 days @ 4°C

All specimens verified by morphological keys (Mabberley, 2008). Seedling mortality tracked via QR-coded stakes.

Regional Hazard Profile: Low-to-Moderate (New Madrid aftershock sequence risk attenuated by distance)

Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA): 0.08g (2% in 50-year probability)

Horizontal Displacement Factor: θ = arctan(PGA/g) = 4.58°

This angle corrects the vertical burial depth to a hypotenuse in the Seismic Amendment. Effective depth D_eff = D / cos(θ).