1. Fast drilling speed (50-100 m hr-1)
2. Relatively simple and cheap instruments
3. Easy operation
4. Ability to drill temperate and cold ice
5. High movility (suits for drilling at multiple location)
Schematic diagram of a hot water drilling system.
A hot water drilling system has been developped in the Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, since 2006. The system was used in Rhonegletscher, Switzerland, from 2007 to 2008 to study the impact of proglacial lake formation on the glacier dynamics (project page). The capacity of the system was expanded for drilling through Glaciar Perito Moreno, Patagonia. We drilled 510 m thick ice and measured subglacial water pressure for the first time in Patagonia (project page). A new drilling system is currently under construction based on the previous system for drilling cold ice at Langhovde Glacier.
This film shows hot water drilling and borehole camera observations at Rhonegletscher. Another film on drilling at Glaciar Perito Moreno is here.
ILTS hot water drilling system used in Rhonegletscher and Glaciar Perito Moreno.
References
- Sugiyama, S., P. Skvarca, N. Naito, K. Tone, H. Enomoto, K. Shinbori, S. Marinsek and M. Aniya. 2010. Hot-water drilling at Glaciar Perito Moreno, Southern Patagonia Icefield. Bulletin of Glaciological Research, 29, 27-32. [PDF]
- Sugiyama, S., S. Aoki, K. Tone, M. Aniya, N. Naito, H. Enomoto, S. Imura and P. Skvarca. 2010. Hot water drilling at Glaciar Perito Moreno, Patagonia. Activity Report for ILTS Fund 2009/2010, ILTS Hokkaido Univeersity. 55-59. [PDF]
- Tsutaki, S. and S. Sugiyama. 2009. Development of a hot water drilling system for subglacial and englacial measurements. Bulletin of Glaciological Research, 27, 7-14. [PDF]
- Sugiyama, S., S. Tsutaki, D. Nishimura, H. Blatter, A. Bauder and M. Funk. 2008. Hot water drilling and glaciological observations at the terminal part of Rhonegletscher, Switzerland in 2007. Bulletin of Glaciological Research, 26, 41-47. [PDF]