A group of scientists from Britain and South Korea planned to drill thru half a mile of ice on the Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica.
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A group of scientists from Britain and South Korea planned to drill thru half a mile of ice on the Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica.
"If successful, it would allow the researchers to lower instruments into the ocean below, and analyze how water is melting the ice from the bottom up. This melting contributes to global sea-level rise by allowing the part of the glacier still sitting on land to slide more rapidly into the ocean."
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A group of scientists from Britain and South Korea planned to drill thru half a mile of ice on the Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica.
"If successful, it would allow the researchers to lower instruments into the ocean below, and analyze how water is melting the ice from the bottom up. This melting contributes to global sea-level rise by allowing the part of the glacier still sitting on land to slide more rapidly into the ocean."
Unfortunately, the mission was not a success. The main instruments that were lowered thru the borehole got stuck 3/4th of the way and did not reach the ocean. A small set of instruments did make it all the way on the first attempt and provided some valuable data.
A jet of water at 80°C was used to melt the hole through the glacier, one foot in diameter and ~3,300 feet deep. The hole would refreeze in about 48 hours unless the team kept shooting hot water into it.
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Unfortunately, the mission was not a success. The main instruments that were lowered thru the borehole got stuck 3/4th of the way and did not reach the ocean. A small set of instruments did make it all the way on the first attempt and provided some valuable data.
A jet of water at 80°C was used to melt the hole through the glacier, one foot in diameter and ~3,300 feet deep. The hole would refreeze in about 48 hours unless the team kept shooting hot water into it.
Raymond Zhong, who covers climate and the environment for The New York Times, has an exemplary series of articles on the recent drilling mission to the Thwaites Glacier and other research in the Antarctic.
Check them out at https://www.nytimes.com/by/raymond-zhong
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