Drilling the new 5G-5 branch hole at Vostok Station for collecting a replicate core of old meteoric ice

Abstract Recent studies have shown that stratigraphically disturbed meteoric ice bedded at Vostok Station between 3318 and 3539 m dates back to 1.2 Ma BP and possibly beyond. As part of the VOICE (Vostok Oldest Ice Challenge) initiative, a new deviation from parent hole 5G-1 was made at depths of 32...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annals of Glaciology
Main Authors: Turkeev, Aleksei V., Vasilev, Nikolai I., Lipenkov, Vladimir Ya., Bolshunov, Alexey V., Ekaykin, Alexey A., Dmitriev, Andrei N., Vasilev, Dmitrii A.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2021
Subjects:
Annals of Glaciology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/aog.2021.4
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0260305521000045
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Summary:Abstract Recent studies have shown that stratigraphically disturbed meteoric ice bedded at Vostok Station between 3318 and 3539 m dates back to 1.2 Ma BP and possibly beyond. As part of the VOICE (Vostok Oldest Ice Challenge) initiative, a new deviation from parent hole 5G-1 was made at depths of 3270–3291 m in the 2018/19 austral season with the aim of obtaining a replicate core of the old ice. Sidetracking was initiated using the standard KEMS-132 electromechanical drill routinely employed for deep ice coring at Vostok, without significant changes to its initial design. Here we describe the method and operating procedures for replicate coring at a targeted depth in an existing slant hole, involving the use of a cable-suspended electromechanical drill. The design of the milling cutter head used for sidetracking is presented. The performance characteristics and the experience of drilling branch-hole 5G-5 at Vostok are described and discussed.

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