Agile Sub-Ice Geological (ASIG) Drill development and Pirrit Hills field project

• Published in: Annals of Glaciology
• Main Authors: Kuhl, Tanner, Gibson, Chris, Johnson, Jay, Boeckmann, Grant, Moravec, Elliot, Slawny, Kristina
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2020
• Subjects: Pirrit Hills; Annals of Glaciology; Antarc*; Antarctica; ice core
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/aog.2020.59; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0260305520000592

Abstract A new drilling system was developed by the US Ice Drilling Program (IDP) to rapidly drill through overlying ice to collect subglacial rock cores. The Agile Sub-Ice Geological (ASIG) Drill system is capable of drilling up to 700 m of ice in a continuous manner. Intermittent ice core samples can be taken as needed. Ten-plus meters of subglacial bedrock and unconsolidated, frozen sediment cores can be drilled with wireline core retrieval. The functionality of the drill system was demonstrated in 2016–17 at the Pirrit Hills, Antarctica where 8 m of high-quality, continuous granite core was retrieved beneath 150 m of ice. The particulars of the drill system development, features and performance are discussed.