Development of a clean hot water drill to access Subglacial Lake CECs, West Antarctica

Recent drilling successes on Rutford Ice Stream in West Antarctica demonstrate the viability of hot water drilling subglacial access holes to depths >2000 m. Having techniques to access deep subglacial environments reliably paves the way for subglacial lake exploration beneath the thick central W...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annals of glaciology 2021-09, Vol.62 (85-86), p.250-262
Main Authors: Makinson, Keith, Anker, Paul G. D., Garcés, Jonathan, Goodger, David J., Polfrey, Scott, Rix, Julius, Silva, Alejandro, Smith, Andrew M., Uribe, José A., Zamora, Rodrigo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Access
Antarctic ice sheet
Antarctic research
Collaboration
Contamination
Diesel generators
Drilling
Drills
Earth science
Exploratory drilling
Glaciation
Glaciers
Glaciological instruments and methods
Hot water
ice engineering
Ice sheets
Ice shelves
Lakes
Sediments
Stewardship
Subglacial lakes
Surveying
Water
Water heating
Water treatment
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Summary:Recent drilling successes on Rutford Ice Stream in West Antarctica demonstrate the viability of hot water drilling subglacial access holes to depths >2000 m. Having techniques to access deep subglacial environments reliably paves the way for subglacial lake exploration beneath the thick central West Antarctic Ice Sheet. An ideal candidate lake, overlain by ~2650 m of ice, identified by Centro de Estudios Científicos (CECs), Chile, has led to collaboration with British Antarctic Survey to access Subglacial Lake CECs (SLCECs). To conform with the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research code of conduct, which provides a guide to responsible scientific exploration and stewardship of these pristine systems, any access drilling must minimise all aspects of contamination and disturbance of the subglacial environment. To meet these challenges, along with thicker ice and 2000 m elevation, pumping and water treatment systems developed for the Subglacial Lake Ellsworth project, together with new diesel generators, additional water heating and longer drill hose, are currently being integrated with the BEAMISH hot water drill. A dedicated test season near SLCECs will commission the new clean hot water drill, with testing and validation of all clean operating procedures. A subsequent season will then access SLCECs cleanly.
ISSN:0260-3055
1727-5644
DOI:10.1017/aog.2020.88