Dome Argus: Ideal site for deep ice drilling

• Main Authors: Xueyuan, Tang, Bo, Sun, Yuansheng, Li, Xiangbin, Cui
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Polar Research Institute of China - PRIC 2012
• Subjects: Cryosphere; Terrestrial; Antarctic; East Antarctic Ice Sheet; Dome Argus; Argus Dome; Argus, Dome; Advances in Polar Science; Antarc*; ice core; Ice Sheet; Polar Science
• Online Access: http://library.arcticportal.org/2448/; http://library.arcticportal.org/2448/1/A20120108.pdf

Located on the centre of ice drainage range, the highest Dome Argus (Dome A) of East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS), could be represented as an ideal site for deep ice cores drilling containing oldest paleo-climate records. To select a suitable drilling site for deep ice core, it needs gather all information pertaining to the local meteorology, ice sheet landforms, ice thickness, subglacial topography of bed rocks, ice velocity, internal structures of ice sheet, etc. Based on the International Partnerships in Ice Core Sciences (IPICS), we present recent achievement of glaciological research and its perspective at Dome A in this paper. We systematically discussed the merits and possible ventures of potential drilling sites around Dome A. Among all the candidates, we find that the Chinese Antarctic Kunlun Station is the best site for carrying out the first deep ice core drilling campaign. We emphasize and assess further the possibility to obtain a replicate core for studying dynamics and evolution of climate change.