Russian researchers reach subglacial Lake Vostok in Antarctica
Opening a new scientific frontier lying under the Antarctic ice, Russian researchers have drilled down and finally reached the surface of the gigantic freshwater lake, Lake Vostok. The mission chief likened the achievement to placing a man on the moon. Drilling in the area of the lake began 22 years...
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ftarcticportal:oai:generic.eprints.org:2463 2023-10-25T01:28:09+02:00 Russian researchers reach subglacial Lake Vostok in Antarctica Talalay, Pavel 2012-09 application/pdf http://library.arcticportal.org/2463/ http://library.arcticportal.org/2463/1/A20120307.pdf en eng Polar Research Institute of China - PRIC http://library.arcticportal.org/2463/1/A20120307.pdf Talalay, Pavel (2012) Russian researchers reach subglacial Lake Vostok in Antarctica. Advances in Polar Science, 23 (3). pp. 176-180. Cryosphere Terrestrial Article PeerReviewed 2012 ftarcticportal 2023-09-27T22:54:11Z Opening a new scientific frontier lying under the Antarctic ice, Russian researchers have drilled down and finally reached the surface of the gigantic freshwater lake, Lake Vostok. The mission chief likened the achievement to placing a man on the moon. Drilling in the area of the lake began 22 years ago in 1990, but progressed slowly as a result of funding shortages, equipment breakdowns, difficulties of drilling in the “warm” ice, and environmental concerns. In 1996, six years after drilling was started, a group of Russian and British scientists discovered the lake believed to be one of the largest fresh water reservoirs on the planet. This lake is among the last unexplored places on Earth. Sealed from the Earth’s atmosphere for millions of years, it may provide vital information about microbial evolution, the past climate of the Earth, and the formation of the Antarctic ice sheet. Russian experts waited several years for international approval of their drilling technology before proceeding. As anticipated, lake water under pressure rushed up the borehole, pushing the drilling fluid up and away, then froze, forming a protective plug that prevented contamination of the lake. In December of the next Antarctic season, 2012—2013, researchers plan to re-drill the frozen sample of subglacial water for analysis. Article in Journal/Newspaper Advances in Polar Science Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ice Sheet Polar Science Polar Science Arctic Portal Library Antarctic The Antarctic Lake Vostok ENVELOPE(106.000,106.000,-77.500,-77.500) |
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English |
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Cryosphere Terrestrial |
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Cryosphere Terrestrial Talalay, Pavel Russian researchers reach subglacial Lake Vostok in Antarctica |
topic_facet |
Cryosphere Terrestrial |
description |
Opening a new scientific frontier lying under the Antarctic ice, Russian researchers have drilled down and finally reached the surface of the gigantic freshwater lake, Lake Vostok. The mission chief likened the achievement to placing a man on the moon. Drilling in the area of the lake began 22 years ago in 1990, but progressed slowly as a result of funding shortages, equipment breakdowns, difficulties of drilling in the “warm” ice, and environmental concerns. In 1996, six years after drilling was started, a group of Russian and British scientists discovered the lake believed to be one of the largest fresh water reservoirs on the planet. This lake is among the last unexplored places on Earth. Sealed from the Earth’s atmosphere for millions of years, it may provide vital information about microbial evolution, the past climate of the Earth, and the formation of the Antarctic ice sheet. Russian experts waited several years for international approval of their drilling technology before proceeding. As anticipated, lake water under pressure rushed up the borehole, pushing the drilling fluid up and away, then froze, forming a protective plug that prevented contamination of the lake. In December of the next Antarctic season, 2012—2013, researchers plan to re-drill the frozen sample of subglacial water for analysis. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Talalay, Pavel |
author_facet |
Talalay, Pavel |
author_sort |
Talalay, Pavel |
title |
Russian researchers reach subglacial Lake Vostok in Antarctica |
title_short |
Russian researchers reach subglacial Lake Vostok in Antarctica |
title_full |
Russian researchers reach subglacial Lake Vostok in Antarctica |
title_fullStr |
Russian researchers reach subglacial Lake Vostok in Antarctica |
title_full_unstemmed |
Russian researchers reach subglacial Lake Vostok in Antarctica |
title_sort |
russian researchers reach subglacial lake vostok in antarctica |
publisher |
Polar Research Institute of China - PRIC |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
http://library.arcticportal.org/2463/ http://library.arcticportal.org/2463/1/A20120307.pdf |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(106.000,106.000,-77.500,-77.500) |
geographic |
Antarctic The Antarctic Lake Vostok |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic The Antarctic Lake Vostok |
genre |
Advances in Polar Science Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ice Sheet Polar Science Polar Science |
genre_facet |
Advances in Polar Science Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ice Sheet Polar Science Polar Science |
op_relation |
http://library.arcticportal.org/2463/1/A20120307.pdf Talalay, Pavel (2012) Russian researchers reach subglacial Lake Vostok in Antarctica. Advances in Polar Science, 23 (3). pp. 176-180. |
_version_ |
1780732422803947520 |