Development of a clean hot water drill to access Subglacial Lake CECs, West Antarctica

Abstract Recent drilling successes on Rutford Ice Stream in West Antarctica demonstrate the viability of hot water subglacial access holes to depths >2000 m. Having techniques deep environments reliably paves way for lake exploration beneath thick central Antarctic Sheet. An ideal candidate lake, overlain by ~2650 m ice, identified Centro de Estudios Científicos (CECs), Chile, has led collaboration with British Survey Subglacial Lake CECs (SLCECs). To conform Scientific Committee Research code conduct, which provides a guide responsible scientific and stewardship these pristine systems, any must minimise all aspects contamination disturbance environment. meet challenges, along thicker ice 2000 elevation, pumping treatment systems developed Ellsworth project, together new diesel generators, additional heating longer drill hose, are currently being integrated BEAMISH drill. A dedicated test season near SLCECs will commission clean drill, testing validation operating procedures. subsequent then cleanly.