Hot water drilling in the firn layer of Greenland's percolation zone
The intermixed thermal and structural framework of cold firn, water-saturated firn and ice layers in Greenland's percolation zone can be challenging to penetrate with core drills. Here, we present our experiences using a hot water drill for research on the firn layer of the percolation zone. We...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2021-04-01
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| Series: | Annals of Glaciology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0260305520000750/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1811157307069825024 |
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| author | Neil Humphrey Joel Harper Toby Meierbachtol |
| author_facet | Neil Humphrey Joel Harper Toby Meierbachtol |
| author_sort | Neil Humphrey |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The intermixed thermal and structural framework of cold firn, water-saturated firn and ice layers in Greenland's percolation zone can be challenging to penetrate with core drills. Here, we present our experiences using a hot water drill for research on the firn layer of the percolation zone. We built and deployed a lightweight and easily transportable system for drilling a transect of ~15 cm diameter boreholes through the full firn column thickness, to depths exceeding 100 m. An instrumented drill stem provides a scientific measurement of the firn properties while drilling. The system was successful at gaining rapid access to the firn column with mixed wet and cold conditions, was easily transported to the site and across the glacier surface, and required a small field crew to operate. The boreholes are well suited for in situ investigations of firn processes in Greenland percolation zone. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:03:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a411c668f31840b2bfbcd56d69c34966 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0260-3055 1727-5644 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:03:56Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Annals of Glaciology |
| spelling | doaj.art-a411c668f31840b2bfbcd56d69c349662023-03-09T12:27:42ZengCambridge University PressAnnals of Glaciology0260-30551727-56442021-04-016217517810.1017/aog.2020.75Hot water drilling in the firn layer of Greenland's percolation zoneNeil Humphrey0Joel Harper1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2151-8509Toby Meierbachtol2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8487-7920Geology and Geophysics, University of WyomingGeosciences, University of MontanaGeosciences, University of MontanaThe intermixed thermal and structural framework of cold firn, water-saturated firn and ice layers in Greenland's percolation zone can be challenging to penetrate with core drills. Here, we present our experiences using a hot water drill for research on the firn layer of the percolation zone. We built and deployed a lightweight and easily transportable system for drilling a transect of ~15 cm diameter boreholes through the full firn column thickness, to depths exceeding 100 m. An instrumented drill stem provides a scientific measurement of the firn properties while drilling. The system was successful at gaining rapid access to the firn column with mixed wet and cold conditions, was easily transported to the site and across the glacier surface, and required a small field crew to operate. The boreholes are well suited for in situ investigations of firn processes in Greenland percolation zone.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0260305520000750/type/journal_articleMelt – surfaceglaciological instruments and methodspolar firn |
| spellingShingle | Neil Humphrey Joel Harper Toby Meierbachtol Hot water drilling in the firn layer of Greenland's percolation zone Annals of Glaciology Melt – surface glaciological instruments and methods polar firn |
| title | Hot water drilling in the firn layer of Greenland's percolation zone |
| title_full | Hot water drilling in the firn layer of Greenland's percolation zone |
| title_fullStr | Hot water drilling in the firn layer of Greenland's percolation zone |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hot water drilling in the firn layer of Greenland's percolation zone |
| title_short | Hot water drilling in the firn layer of Greenland's percolation zone |
| title_sort | hot water drilling in the firn layer of greenland s percolation zone |
| topic | Melt – surface glaciological instruments and methods polar firn |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0260305520000750/type/journal_article |
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