Workshop on Interdisciplinary Polar Research Based on Fast Ice-Sheet Drilling - FASTDRILL; Santa Cruz, CA, October, 2002

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This award provides partial support for an interdisciplinary workshop to bring biologists, geologists, glaciologists and paleoclimatologists together to discuss the various scientific studies that could benefit from the development of a new, fast and mobile drilling technology for accessing the base of the polar ice sheets. Some of the scientific applications which have been mentioned which would be made possible by such technology include opening of access to subglacial lakes, detection of life in ancient ice, borehole paleothermometry, site selection for deep ice cores, logging of climate proxies with geophysical tools, ice rheology studies, investigation of basal conditions and their control on basal sliding, sampling of subglacial geology and geothermal heat flow measurements. This workshop will provide a forum for discussions with experts in ice drilling, conventional drilling and downhole sampling systems and will lead to the formulation recommendations to NSF for future directions in rapid access drilling technology. This workshop will contribute to research on sub-glacial lakes in Antarctica, such as Lake Vostok. Prior to the initiation of a research program to study the interrelationship among geologic history, glaciology and biology in sub-glacial lakes, it is necessary to make progress on sampling, measurement and contamination control technologies so that the Lake can be sampled in order to maintain sample integrity in an environmentally sound manner. This workshop will contribute to technology development that will have application to the study of subglacial lakes.