Radar surveys in progress; first ice core complete

Week of 12/19/2022

By Peter Neff

This week, ice coring and radar work continued at Allan Hills while the COLDEX airborne team completed installation of survey instruments on the Basler. At the I-165 Allan Hills ice core camp, drilling through the week culminated in reaching bedrock at the Blue Ice Drill site, 93 meters deep with the last core appearing green/brown. This ice could be up to several million years old. Additional drilling at the site continues with the Foro drill, currently at a depth of around 160 meters.

Nearby, the I-188 radar team in the Allan Hills accumulation zone is continuing with surveys, including collecting more than six phase-sensitive radar observations (ApRES).

Back in McMurdo, I-185 successfully attached the KU COLDEX radar to the belly of Basler MKB and installed electronics racks inside. The South Pole survey team, including the Kenn Borek crew, then entered isolation required prior to moving to South Pole Station, hopefully just after the holiday weekend.

All COLDEX team members congratulate the SPIDER team for their successful scientific balloon launch this week and are rooting for all International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration teams as they progress. All COLDEX teams send thoughts of peace and happiness to all for the holidays, and are grateful to have everyone’s support both on the ice and back home. 

Austin Carter, Julia Marks-Peterson, Sarah Shackleton, and Mike Jayred with the last section of Blue Ice Drill core, Allan Hills, December 22, 2022. Photo Jacob Morgan.

The last section of Blue Ice Drill core, 93 m depth. Photo Austin Carter.

Most of the COLDEX airborne survey team in front of Kenn Borek Basler MKB. Photo Gonzalo Echeverry.