Deep ice drilling, bedrock coring and dust logging with the Rapid Access Ice Drill (RAID) at Minna Bluff, Antarctica

Abstract Rapid Access Ice Drill is a new drilling technology capable of quickly accessing the glacial bed of Antarctic ice sheets, retrieving ice core and rock core samples, and providing boreholes for downhole logging of physical properties. Scientific goals include searching for old ice near the glacial bed and sampling subglacial bedrock. During field trials near McMurdo Station on a piedmont glacier at Minna Bluff in the 2019–20 austral summer, we successfully completed a ‘top-to-bottom’ operational sequence in three boreholes by (1) augering through firn, (2) creating a borehole packer seal in non-porous ice, (3) establishing fluid circulation, (4) quickly drilling a borehole in ice at penetration rates up to 1.2 m min−1, (5) acquiring a short ice core at depth, (6) penetrating the glacial bed at a depth of ~677 m, (7) recovering a 3.2 m core of ice, basal till and subglacial bedrock, (8) optically logging the borehole on wireline, (9) testing hydrofracture potential by overpressuring the borehole fluid and (10) operating in an environmentally benign yet rapid field mode. Minna Bluff testing, therefore, demonstrates the effectiveness of this integrated system to drill rapidly through thick ice and penetrate across the glacial bed to take cores of bedrock.

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The Berkner Island (Antarctica) ice-core drilling project

Annals of Glaciology ◽

10.3189/172756407786857758 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 47 ◽

pp. 115-124 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

Robert Mulvaney ◽

Olivier Alemany ◽

Philippe Possenti

Keyword(s):

Melting Point ◽

Ice Core ◽

Ice Sheet ◽

Austral Summer ◽

Core Drilling ◽

Drilling Operation ◽

Drilling Technology ◽

Pressure Melting ◽

Small Team ◽

Drilling Project

AbstractWe describe a project to retrieve a 948m deep ice core from Berkner Island, Antarctica. Using relatively lightweight logistics and a small team, the drilling operation over three austral summer seasons used electromechanical drilling technology, described in detail, from a covered shallow pit and a fluid-filled borehole. A basal temperature well below pressure-melting point meant that no drilling problems were encountered when approaching the bed and the borehole penetrated through to the base of the ice sheet, and sediment was retrieved from beneath the ice.

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Perspectives for development of ice drilling technology: continuation of the discussion

Annals of Glaciology ◽

10.1017/aog.2020.81 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-14

Author(s):

P. G. Talalay ◽

J. Hong

Keyword(s):

Hydraulic Fracturing ◽

Lake Sediments ◽

Ice Core ◽

Glacial Lake ◽

Environment Friendly ◽

Rapid Access ◽

Drilling Technology

Abstract Recently, innovations in ice drilling have yielded considerable improvements to existing drilling techniques, as well as innovative drilling technologies that can be used in new types of applications. However, some specific challenges have to be addressed for improving existing drilling methods and developing new ones: (1) combination and unification of different drilling systems; (2) facilitating ice core breaking; (3) improving existing systems and developing new rapid-access ice drilling systems; (4) reliable elimination of ice hydraulic fracturing problems; (5) developing new environment-friendly methods of drilling in the sub-glacial lake sediments; and (6) design of unconventional ice drilling systems. Possible solutions to these problems are presented herein.

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Brief Communication: New radar constraints support presence of ice older than 1.5 Ma at Little Dome C

10.5194/tc-2020-345 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

David A. Lilien ◽

Daniel Steinhage ◽

Drew Taylor ◽

Frédéric Parrenin ◽

Catherine Ritz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Flow Model ◽

Ice Core ◽

Austral Summer ◽

Basal Region ◽

Glacial Cycles ◽

Ice Flow ◽

Vhf Radar ◽

New Instrument ◽

Drill Site ◽

Ice Core Record

Abstract. The area near Dome C, East Antarctica, is thought to be one of the most promising targets for recovering a continuous ice-core record spanning more than a million years. The European Beyond EPICA consortium has selected Little Dome C, an area ~35 km south-east of Concordia Station, to attempt to recover such a record. Here, we present the results of the final ice-penetrating radar survey used to refine the exact drill site. These data were acquired during the 2019–2020 Austral summer using a new, multi-channel high-resolution VHF radar operating in the frequency range of 170–230 MHz. This new instrument is able to detect reflections in the near-basal region, where previous surveys were unable to trace continuous horizons. The radar stratigraphy is used to transfer the timescale of the EPICA Dome C ice core (EDC) to the area of Little Dome C, using radar isochrones dating back past 600 ka. We use these data to derive the expected depth–age relationship through the ice column at the now-chosen drill site, termed BELDC. These new data indicate that the ice at BELDC is considerably older than that at EDC at the same depth, and that there is about 375 m of ice older than 600 ka at BELDC. Stratigraphy is well preserved to 2565 m, below which there is a basal unit with unknown properties. A simple ice flow model tuned to the isochrones suggests ages likely reach 1.5 Ma near 2525 m, ~40 m above the basal unit and ~240 m above the bed, with sufficient resolution (14±1 ka m−1) to resolve 41 ka glacial cycles.

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A Computer-Controlled System for Ice-Fabric Analysis on a Rigsby Stage

Annals of Glaciology ◽

10.3189/s0260305500004237 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 10 ◽

pp. 92-94 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Manfred A. Lange

Keyword(s):

Tilt Angle ◽

Ice Core ◽

Data Bank ◽

Integrated System ◽

Controlled System ◽

Thin Sections ◽

Fabric Analysis ◽

Data Files ◽

Computer Controlled ◽

Electronic Sensors

An integrated system for ice-fabric analysis on a Rigsby stage is described. The system consists of a regular Rigsby stage fitted with two opto-electronic sensors for assessment of azimuth and the tilt angle of each individual grain. Signals from the sensors are transmitted to a computer terminal via an interface box, which facilitates transformation of Gray-coded data to ASCII data records. The terminal is hooked up to a main-frame computer (VAX 750), where the digitized angles of the c-axis orientations of individual thin sections are stored in separate data files. These files are compatible with other already existing files containing additional ice-core data and thus become part of an extensive data bank. Appropriate software has been developed to produce, among other things, plots of c-axis orientations in a Schmidt net.

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Perspectives for development of ice-core drilling technology: a discussion

Annals of Glaciology ◽

10.3189/2014aog68a007 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 55 (68) ◽

pp. 339-350 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

P.G. Talalay

Keyword(s):

Low Temperature ◽

Ice Core ◽

Modern Technology ◽

Swiss Alps ◽

Drilling Fluids ◽

Core Drilling ◽

The Core ◽

Drilling Technology ◽

Brittle Zone ◽

Louis Agassiz

AbstractMore than 170 years ago, Louis Agassiz, one of the creators of glacial theory, made his first attempt to drill into the bed of Unteraargletscher, Swiss Alps. Since that time, various systems for thermal and mechanical drilling have been designed especially for boring into ice, and some conventional drill rigs been adopted for ice coring. Although contemporary ice-drilling knowledge and techniques are now familiar, there remain many problems to be solved by advanced modern technology. Specific challenges related to improving old drilling methods and developing new emerging technologies include: (1) identification of depth limitation of ‘dry’ drilling; (2) improvement of casing; (3) searching for the new environmentally friendly low-temperature drilling fluids; (4) reliable elimination of sticking drills; (5) improvement of core quality in the brittle zone; (6) additional core sampling from borehole walls after the core has been drilled; (7) obtaining oriented core; (8) designing automation drilling systems; (9) developing rapid-access drills. Possible ways of solving these problems are presented below.

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RADIX: a minimal-resources rapid-access drilling system

Annals of Glaciology ◽

10.3189/2014aog68a015 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 55 (68) ◽

pp. 34-38 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

J. Schwander ◽

S. Marending ◽

T.F. Stocker ◽

H. Fischer

Keyword(s):

Drilling Fluid ◽

Ice Core ◽

Ice Sheet ◽

Minimum Size ◽

Rapid Access ◽

Drilling System ◽

Low Costs ◽

Drilling Site ◽

Remote Sensing Methods

AbstractDetermining the expected age at a potential ice-core drilling site on a polar ice sheet generally depends on a combination of information from remote-sensing methods, estimates of current accumulation and modelling. This poses irreducible uncertainties in retrieving an undisturbed ice core of the desired age. Although recently perfected radar techniques will improve the picture of the ice sheet below future drilling sites, rapid prospective drillings could further increase the success of deep drilling projects. Here we design and explore a drilling system for a minimum-size rapid-access hole. The advantages of a small hole are the low demand for drilling fluid, low overall weight of the equipment, fast installing and de-installing and low costs. We show that, in theory, drilling of a 20 mm hole to a depth of 3000 m is possible in ∼4 days. First concepts have been realized and verified in the field. Both the drill cuttings and the hole itself can be used to characterize the properties of the ice sheet and its potential to provide a trustworthy palaeo-record. A candidate drilling site could be explored in ∼2 weeks, which would enable the characterization of several sites in one summer season.

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Development of the British Antarctic Survey Rapid Access Isotope Drill

Journal of Glaciology ◽

10.1017/jog.2019.9 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 65 (250) ◽

pp. 288-298 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

JULIUS RIX ◽

ROBERT MULVANEY ◽

JIALIN HONG ◽

DAN ASHURST

Keyword(s):

Ice Core ◽

Isotope Analysis ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

New Class ◽

Future Developments ◽

British Antarctic Survey ◽

Rapid Access ◽

Current State ◽

Water Stable Isotope ◽

Drilling Time

ABSTRACTThe British Antarctic Survey Rapid Access Isotope Drill is an innovative new class of electromechanical ice drill, which has recently been used to drill the deepest dry hole drilled by an electromechanical auger drill. The record-breaking depth of 461.58 m was drilled in just over 104 hours at Little Dome C. The drill collects ice chippings, for water stable isotope analysis, rather than an ice core. By not collecting a core the winch can be geared for speed rather than core breaking and is lightweight. Furthermore, emptying of the chippings is performed by simply reversing the drill motor on the surface reducing the overall drilling time significantly. The borehole is then available for instrumentation. We describe the drill in its current state including modifications carried out since it was last deployed. Test seasons and the lessons learned from each are outlined. Finally, future developments for this class of drill are discussed.

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Production drilling at WAIS Divide

Annals of Glaciology ◽

10.3189/2014aog68a018 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 55 (68) ◽

pp. 147-155 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Kristina R. Slawny ◽

Jay A. Johnson ◽

Nicolai B. Mortensen ◽

Christopher J. Gibson ◽

Joshua J. Goetz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ice Core ◽

Ice Sheet ◽

Austral Summer ◽

Snow Surface ◽

Scientific Interest ◽

High Quality ◽

Core Drilling ◽

Core Samples ◽

Drill Fluid ◽

Drilling Operations

AbstractThe deep ice-sheet coring (DISC) drill was used for production ice-core drilling at WAIS Divide in Antarctica for six field seasons between 2007 and 2013. Continuous ice-core samples were obtained between the snow surface and 3405 m depth. During the 2012/13 austral summer, the DISC drill’s newly designed replicate ice-coring system was utilized to collect nearly 285m of additional high-quality core samples at depths of high scientific interest. Annual progress graphs are described, as well as milestones achieved over the course of the project. Drilling operations, challenges encountered, drill fluid usage, drilling results, and the drill crew’s experiences with the DISC drill and replicate coring system during production drilling are described and discussed in detail. Core-processing operations are described briefly, as well as the logistical undertaking of the DISC drill’s deployment to Antarctica.

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Oxygen isotope mass balance of atmospheric nitrate at Dome C, East Antarctica, during the OPALE campaign

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics ◽

10.5194/acp-16-2659-2016 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 2659-2673 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Joël Savarino ◽

William C. Vicars ◽

Michel Legrand ◽

Suzanne Preunkert ◽

Bruno Jourdain ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oxygen Isotope ◽

Transfer Functions ◽

Isotope Composition ◽

Surface Ozone ◽

Ice Core ◽

Isotope Analysis ◽

Austral Summer ◽

Direct Observations ◽

Atmospheric Nitrate ◽

Stable Oxygen

Abstract. Variations in the stable oxygen isotope composition of atmospheric nitrate act as novel tools for studying oxidative processes taking place in the troposphere. They provide both qualitative and quantitative constraints on the pathways determining the fate of atmospheric nitrogen oxides (NO + NO2 = NOx). The unique and distinctive 17O excess (Δ17O = δ17O − 0.52 × δ18O) of ozone, which is transferred to NOx via oxidation, is a particularly useful isotopic fingerprint in studies of NOx transformations. Constraining the propagation of 17O excess within the NOx cycle is critical in polar areas, where there exists the possibility of extending atmospheric investigations to the glacial–interglacial timescale using deep ice core records of nitrate. Here we present measurements of the comprehensive isotopic composition of atmospheric nitrate collected at Dome C (East Antarctic Plateau) during the austral summer of 2011/2012. Nitrate isotope analysis has been here combined for the first time with key precursors involved in nitrate production (NOx, O3, OH, HO2, RO2, etc.) and direct observations of the transferrable Δ17O of surface ozone, which was measured at Dome C throughout 2012 using our recently developed analytical approach. Assuming that nitrate is mainly produced in Antarctica in summer through the OH + NO2 pathway and using concurrent measurements of OH and NO2, we calculated a Δ17O signature for nitrate on the order of (21–22 ± 3) ‰. These values are lower than the measured values that ranged between 27 and 31 ‰. This discrepancy between expected and observed Δ17O(NO3−) values suggests the existence of an unknown process that contributes significantly to the atmospheric nitrate budget over this East Antarctic region. However, systematic errors or false isotopic balance transfer functions are not totally excluded.

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The multi-seasonal NO<sub>y</sub> budget in coastal Antarctica and its link with surface snow and ice core nitrate: results from the CHABLIS campaign

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions ◽

10.5194/acpd-7-4127-2007 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 4127-4163 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

A. E. Jones ◽

E. W. Wolff ◽

D. Ames ◽

S. J.-B. Bauguitte ◽

K. C. Clemitshaw ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Boundary Layer ◽

Ice Core ◽

Austral Summer ◽

Polar Regions ◽

Low Concentrations ◽

Surface Snow ◽

Consistent Picture ◽

Antarctic Boundary Layer ◽

The Antarctic

Abstract. Measurements of individual NOy components were carried out at Halley station in coastal Antarctica. The measurements were made as part of the CHABLIS campaign (Chemistry of the Antarctic Boundary Layer and the Interface with Snow) and cover over half a year, from austral winter 2004 through to austral summer 2005. They are the longest duration and most extensive NOy budget study carried out to date in polar regions. Results show clear dominance of organic NOy compounds (PAN and MeONO2) during the winter months, with low concentrations of inorganic NOy, but a reversal of this situation towards summer when the balance shifts in favour of inorganic NOy. Multi-seasonal measurements of surface snow nitrate correlate strongly with inorganic NOy species. One case study in August suggested that particulate nitrate was the dominant source of nitrate to the snowpack, but this was not the consistent picture throughout the measurement period. An analysis of NOx production rates showed that emissions of NOx from the snowpack dominate over gas-phase sources of "new NOx", suggesting that, for certain periods in the past, the flux of NOx into the boundary layer can be calculated from ice core nitrate data.

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