Intermediate-depth ice coring of high-altitude and polar glaciers with a lightweight drilling system
International audience A total of 11 ice cores to a maximum depth of 460 m have been obtained over the past 3 years from high-altitude glaciers on the saddle of Mount Bona and Mount Churchill in Alaska (designated B-C), and on Quelccaya ice cap and Nevado Coropuna in Peru. Ice coring was conducted u...
Published in: | Journal of Glaciology |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , |
Other Authors: | , , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
HAL CCSD
2005
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://insu.hal.science/insu-00375203 https://insu.hal.science/insu-00375203/document https://insu.hal.science/insu-00375203/file/div-class-title-intermediate-depth-ice-coring-of-high-altitude-and-polar-glaciers-with-a-lightweight-drilling-system-div.pdf https://doi.org/10.3189/172756505781829269 |
Summary: | International audience A total of 11 ice cores to a maximum depth of 460 m have been obtained over the past 3 years from high-altitude glaciers on the saddle of Mount Bona and Mount Churchill in Alaska (designated B-C), and on Quelccaya ice cap and Nevado Coropuna in Peru. Ice coring was conducted using an intermediate-depth drilling system. The system includes an electromechanical drill (EMD) and an ethanol thermal electric drill (ETED). The EMD permitted an average ice-core production rate (ICPR) of 7.0 m h−1 down to 150 m. An average ICPR of 2 m h−1 to 460 m depth was possible with the ETED. The quality of the B-C ice cores is better than that of cores previously drilled with an EMD and ETED system. A new cutter design, drilling with a lubricant/cutting fluid and a new anti-torque assembly were tested in the laboratory and in glacier boreholes. We examine the performance of the drills in cold and temperate ice and in clean and particle-laden ice. The influence of the ethanol drilling fluid on ice-core isotopic, ionic and dust composition is discussed. |
---|