Collaborative Research: Laser Cutting Technology for Borehole Sampling

该项目将朝着在冰川和冰盖上进行激光切割冰样的能力迈出初步的发展步骤。从极地冰盖采集冰样需要花费大量的时间、精力和费用。然而，最重要的科学数据往往取自冰芯的一小部分，虽然重复取芯可以补充这一段冰芯，但往往需要根据后来的科学发现或研究地点的钻孔记录来提取更多的冰样。此外，目前还没有从非取心机械钻头钻出的钻孔中提取冰样的简单方法，这些钻头更快、更轻、操作成本更低。激光切割冰样有许多潜在的科学应用，包括对埋藏的撞击坑和陨石柱上的冰进行采样，填补从损坏的冰芯中提取的化学记录中的关键空白，以及从取心钻探施加可能使冰破裂的应力的地点获取冰样。该奖项将探索一种激光切割技术，从井壁快速提取高质量的冰样。该项目将调查和验证现有的激光冰样技术，并将使用光缆向钻孔仪器传输光脉冲，而不是试图在部署在钻孔中的仪器中组装完整的激光系统。这提供了一种从极地冰盖中提取冰样的新方法，而不需要钻孔来收集冰芯样本(即，可以机械钻洞)。这项技术也可以用于现有的钻孔，或通过冰(即不取心)增强或用热水制成的钻孔。如果成功，这项技术将创造出以较小的后勤足迹快速获取冰样的能力，并使其他方式可能无法支持的科学成为可能。这项拟议的技术最终可能提供更好的获取冰芯样本的途径，以研究过去的大气成分，以了解过去的气候，并为未来冰盖变化的可能性提供信息。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project will take initial development steps toward a laser-cut ice-sampling capability in glaciers and ice sheets. The collection of ice samples from the Polar Ice Sheets involves large amounts of time, effort, and expense. However, the most important science data are often retrieved from small sections of an ice core and, while replicate coring can supplement this section of ice core, there is often a need to retrieve additional ice samples based on subsequent scientific findings or borehole logging at a research site. In addition, there are currently no easy methods of extracting ice samples from a borehole drilled by non-coring mechanical drills that are faster, lighter, and less expensive to operate. There are numerous science applications that could potentially benefit from laser-cut ice samples, including sampling ice overlying buried impact craters and bolides, filling critical gaps in chemical records retrieved from damaged ice cores, and obtaining ice samples from sites where coring drills apply stresses that may fracture the ice. This award will explore a laser cutting technology to rapidly extract high-quality ice samples from a borehole wall. The project will investigate and validate the existing technology of laser ice sampling and will use a fiberoptic cable to deliver light pulses to a borehole instrument rather than attempting to assemble a complete laser system in an instrument deployed in a borehole. This offers a new way of retrieving ice samples from a polar ice sheet without the need to drill a borehole to collect ice-core samples (i.e., the hole could be mechanically drilled). This technology could also be used in existing boreholes or those that are made by augering through ice (i.e., not coring) or made with hot water. If successful, this technique would create the ability to rapidly retrieve ice samples with a small logistical footprint and enable science that might not be supportable otherwise. The proposed technology could eventually provide better access to ice-core samples to study past atmospheric composition for understanding past climate and inform on future potential for ice-sheet change.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.