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 achiev...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.展开更多
Drilling operations in polar regions and mountainous areas are complicated by nature of the extreme environment. Yet conventional rotary drilling technologies can be used to drill ice for scientific samples and oth- e...Drilling operations in polar regions and mountainous areas are complicated by nature of the extreme environment. Yet conventional rotary drilling technologies can be used to drill ice for scientific samples and oth- er research. Due to such reasons as power consumption and weight complications, it is hard to apply a conven- tional rotary drilling rig for glacial exploration. Use of small, relatively lightweight, portable engine-powered drilling systems in which the drill lifting from the borehole is carried by the winch. It is reasonable enough for near-surface shallow ice-drilling down to 50 m. Such systems can be used for near-surface ablation-stakes in- stallation, also temperature measurements at the bottom of active strata layer, revealing of anthropogenie pollu- tion, etc. The specified used in this research is an auger ice drill powered by a gasoline engine. At this stage, it is crucial to choose effective drilling parameters such as weight on bit （WOB） and drill bit rotation rate. Sen- sors equipped on the rig have measured the main parameters of the drilling process, such as drill speed, WOB, drill rotation speed, torque and temperature. This paper addresses research on drilling parameters of engine powered auger ice drill and supplies some recommendations for optimization of any ice-core drilling process.展开更多
The firn aquifer beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet may play a significant role in rising sea level. Both traditional mechanical drilling and electric thermal drilling are poorly adapted for effective, low-disturbance sa...The firn aquifer beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet may play a significant role in rising sea level. Both traditional mechanical drilling and electric thermal drilling are poorly adapted for effective, low-disturbance sampling in firn aquifers. We propose using a vibrocoring technique for the undisturbed sampling of dry firn and firn aquifer layers. A remote-controlled vibrocorer is designed to obtain 1-m-long cores with a diameter of 100 mm. The depth capacity of the system is approximately 50 m. The total weight of the vibrocoring system with the surface auxiliary equipment is approximately 110 kg, and corer assembly itself weighs ~60 kg.展开更多
本文通过南极斯科舍海东南部海域DC-11岩芯稀土元素(REE)特征及其与生源硅(BSiO_(2))、磁化率、Al_(2)O_(3)、Fe_(2)O_(3)的耦合关系,深入探讨了34 ka BP以来研究区沉积物的来源及冰山−海流−大气搬运历史。结果表明,DC-11岩芯沉积物REE...本文通过南极斯科舍海东南部海域DC-11岩芯稀土元素(REE)特征及其与生源硅(BSiO_(2))、磁化率、Al_(2)O_(3)、Fe_(2)O_(3)的耦合关系,深入探讨了34 ka BP以来研究区沉积物的来源及冰山−海流−大气搬运历史。结果表明,DC-11岩芯沉积物REE含量变化与Al_(2)O_(3)相似,主要赋存于陆源碎屑之中,BSiO_(2)对其有明显稀释效应。末次冰期REE含量高,页岩标准化模式平坦,Eu正异常弱,LaN/YbN比值较大,沉积物主要来源于地壳相对较老的威德尔海周边地区,磁化率、ΔAl_(2)O_(3)、TFe_(2)O_(3)/Eu比值证实该时期沉积物中南美风尘物质多。冰消期早期(19.6~14.1 ka BP)气候快速回暖,西风带与海洋锋面南移,南美风尘输入迅速减弱,南极绕极流南部分支增强,导致南设德兰群岛−南极半岛的冰山及沉积物向东搬运至研究区,沉积物Eu正异常明显,LaN/YbN比值小,磁化率、ΔAl_(2)O_(3)、TFe_(2)O_(3)/Eu比值降低。南极冷倒转期(14.1~12.9 ka BP),南极气温明显下降,海洋锋面小幅北移,来自南设德兰群岛−南极半岛沉积物减少,威德尔海沉积物在岩芯中占主导,沉积物Eu正异常弱,LaN/YbN比值接近于1,冰筏碎屑含量高;冰消期晚期(12.9~11.7 ka BP)海洋锋面再次南移,南设德兰群岛−南极半岛海域南极绕极流分量增强,对DC-11岩芯沉积物贡献加大;全新世(11.7~0 ka BP)气候温暖,南设德兰群岛−南极半岛海域南极绕极流分量总体增强,对岩芯沉积物贡献加大,与来自威德尔海的沉积物量大体相当。展开更多
文摘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.
基金Supported by projects of National Science Foundation of China(No.41327804)the Geological Survey of China(No.3R212W324424)
文摘Drilling operations in polar regions and mountainous areas are complicated by nature of the extreme environment. Yet conventional rotary drilling technologies can be used to drill ice for scientific samples and oth- er research. Due to such reasons as power consumption and weight complications, it is hard to apply a conven- tional rotary drilling rig for glacial exploration. Use of small, relatively lightweight, portable engine-powered drilling systems in which the drill lifting from the borehole is carried by the winch. It is reasonable enough for near-surface shallow ice-drilling down to 50 m. Such systems can be used for near-surface ablation-stakes in- stallation, also temperature measurements at the bottom of active strata layer, revealing of anthropogenie pollu- tion, etc. The specified used in this research is an auger ice drill powered by a gasoline engine. At this stage, it is crucial to choose effective drilling parameters such as weight on bit （WOB） and drill bit rotation rate. Sen- sors equipped on the rig have measured the main parameters of the drilling process, such as drill speed, WOB, drill rotation speed, torque and temperature. This paper addresses research on drilling parameters of engine powered auger ice drill and supplies some recommendations for optimization of any ice-core drilling process.
基金supported the by the National Key R&D Program of China (Grant no. 2021YFC2801400)。
文摘The firn aquifer beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet may play a significant role in rising sea level. Both traditional mechanical drilling and electric thermal drilling are poorly adapted for effective, low-disturbance sampling in firn aquifers. We propose using a vibrocoring technique for the undisturbed sampling of dry firn and firn aquifer layers. A remote-controlled vibrocorer is designed to obtain 1-m-long cores with a diameter of 100 mm. The depth capacity of the system is approximately 50 m. The total weight of the vibrocoring system with the surface auxiliary equipment is approximately 110 kg, and corer assembly itself weighs ~60 kg.
文摘本文通过南极斯科舍海东南部海域DC-11岩芯稀土元素(REE)特征及其与生源硅(BSiO_(2))、磁化率、Al_(2)O_(3)、Fe_(2)O_(3)的耦合关系,深入探讨了34 ka BP以来研究区沉积物的来源及冰山−海流−大气搬运历史。结果表明,DC-11岩芯沉积物REE含量变化与Al_(2)O_(3)相似,主要赋存于陆源碎屑之中,BSiO_(2)对其有明显稀释效应。末次冰期REE含量高,页岩标准化模式平坦,Eu正异常弱,LaN/YbN比值较大,沉积物主要来源于地壳相对较老的威德尔海周边地区,磁化率、ΔAl_(2)O_(3)、TFe_(2)O_(3)/Eu比值证实该时期沉积物中南美风尘物质多。冰消期早期(19.6~14.1 ka BP)气候快速回暖,西风带与海洋锋面南移,南美风尘输入迅速减弱,南极绕极流南部分支增强,导致南设德兰群岛−南极半岛的冰山及沉积物向东搬运至研究区,沉积物Eu正异常明显,LaN/YbN比值小,磁化率、ΔAl_(2)O_(3)、TFe_(2)O_(3)/Eu比值降低。南极冷倒转期(14.1~12.9 ka BP),南极气温明显下降,海洋锋面小幅北移,来自南设德兰群岛−南极半岛沉积物减少,威德尔海沉积物在岩芯中占主导,沉积物Eu正异常弱,LaN/YbN比值接近于1,冰筏碎屑含量高;冰消期晚期(12.9~11.7 ka BP)海洋锋面再次南移,南设德兰群岛−南极半岛海域南极绕极流分量增强,对DC-11岩芯沉积物贡献加大;全新世(11.7~0 ka BP)气候温暖,南设德兰群岛−南极半岛海域南极绕极流分量总体增强,对岩芯沉积物贡献加大,与来自威德尔海的沉积物量大体相当。
