The Antarctic is a vast source of ice. The frozen land is still undiscovered in many parts of it. Many governments across the course of tim...
The Antarctic is a vast source of ice. The frozen land is still undiscovered in many parts of it. Many governments across the course of time have set up various bases at the Antarctic land for expeditions. Widely distributed are these permanent research stations, which come up with various experiments and new theories. In a recent bout on such an experiment, the Scientists have dug a record-breaking hole in the Antarctic region.
A hole of 2 kilometres deep has been dug by the Scientists on a large ice sheet in the West Antarctic region. It is not an easy task to drill such a huge hole in the thick ice sheet of the land of permafrost. A new technique they have used here now was the age-old contrast technique.
Hot water melts the ice. The contrast that occurs here with regards the temperature results in the melting of ice. Using this simple physicality of solid and liquid forms of water, the scientists have made this record drilled hole possible. Hot water was continuously supplied to the drill.
The 11 member team has done this experiment especially to test the response of the ice sheets and the Antarctic region to the warming climate. The team led by the scientists from the British Antarctic Survey were working on the Rutford Ice Stream for the last 12 weeks.
The area has temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius on an average and the team were working hours in this freezing climate. The team worked for 63 hours straight and broke the threshold length of 2,152 metres below the surface of the ice-laden land.
Instruments to measure the water pressure, temperatures of the ice and the temperatures of the melting ice were also inserted along the drilling mechanism. They were made to run along the lengths of the drill to keep a constant monitor on the perpetual changes.
Earlier attempts were failed, and the BEAMISH project is now a success. Scientists are elated. "What we are trying to understand is how slippery the sediment underneath these glaciers is, and therefore how quickly they might flow off the continent into the sea. This will help us determine future sea level rise from West Antarctica with more certainty".
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A hole of 2 kilometres deep has been dug by the Scientists on a large ice sheet in the West Antarctic region. It is not an easy task to drill such a huge hole in the thick ice sheet of the land of permafrost. A new technique they have used here now was the age-old contrast technique.
Hot water melts the ice. The contrast that occurs here with regards the temperature results in the melting of ice. Using this simple physicality of solid and liquid forms of water, the scientists have made this record drilled hole possible. Hot water was continuously supplied to the drill.
The 11 member team has done this experiment especially to test the response of the ice sheets and the Antarctic region to the warming climate. The team led by the scientists from the British Antarctic Survey were working on the Rutford Ice Stream for the last 12 weeks.
The area has temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius on an average and the team were working hours in this freezing climate. The team worked for 63 hours straight and broke the threshold length of 2,152 metres below the surface of the ice-laden land.
Instruments to measure the water pressure, temperatures of the ice and the temperatures of the melting ice were also inserted along the drilling mechanism. They were made to run along the lengths of the drill to keep a constant monitor on the perpetual changes.
Earlier attempts were failed, and the BEAMISH project is now a success. Scientists are elated. "What we are trying to understand is how slippery the sediment underneath these glaciers is, and therefore how quickly they might flow off the continent into the sea. This will help us determine future sea level rise from West Antarctica with more certainty".
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