SGER: Antarctic Borehole Research with an Advanced TV/UV Instrument Developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory

OPP 9910839 Kamb该奖项由极地计划办公室南极冰川计划提供，根据探索性研究小额赠款(SGER)计划颁发。该奖项旨在将喷气推进实验室(JPL)的新的先进电视成像技术应用于西南极冰盖(WAIS)的研究。喷气推进实验室将提供一个深孔电视摄像系统，用于直接观测西南极冰流底部的冰与冰下接触带。其目的是为了了解冰流快速运动的机制，它支配着冰流对与全球变化有关的西南极冰盖稳定性/不稳定性的影响。需要一个钻孔电视系统来显示：(1)底部冰柜接触的结构和尺寸，以及冰和冰柜之间可能存在的间隙，这些间隙可能是基础水系统中的管道；(2)基冰中岩石碎屑的数量、性质和分布；以及(3)冰或冰柜的任何动态运动。JPL开发了一种新的井下仪器系统，该系统在光缆上操作，由高分辨率电视摄像机和紫外光谱荧光仪组成。喷气推进实验室已经将这一新仪器提供给我们的NSF-OPP赞助的西南极冰流研究项目。反过来，喷气推进实验室将能够使用该仪器进行荧光测量，目的是检测深层冰和岩石表面的微生物活动。这项荧光技术代表了微生物检测方法发展的先驱，最终将用于沃斯托克湖或类似的环境。因此，这项工作的目标是将一项新技术应用于冰流快速运动和在底部(冰层)界面或附近存在微生物活动的基本问题。这项研究是一项探索性的研究，旨在解决南极科学中的两个基本观察问题，这是以前从未尝试过的。缺乏先前经验的基础来预测观察的成功程度是很高的风险。

OPP 9910839KambThis award, provided by the Antarctic Glaciology Program of the Office of Polar Programs, is made under the Small Grants for Exploratory Research (SGER) program. The award is to apply new, advanced TV imaging technology of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to research on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS). JPL will provide a deep borehole TV camera system for observing directly the zone of contact between ice and subglacial till at the base of the West Antarctic ice streams. The purpose is to gain an understanding of the mechanism of rapid ice stream motion, which governs the ice streams' effect on the stability/instability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in relation to global change. A borehole TV system is needed to reveal: (1) the configuration and dimensions of the basal ice-till contact and possible gaps between the ice and the till, which may be conduits in a basal water system; (2) the amount, character, and distribution of rock debris in the basal ice; and (3) any dynamic motions of the ice or till. JPL has developed a new borehole instrument system, which is to operate on a fiber optic cable and consist of a high-resolution TV camera combined with a UV spectral fluorometer. JPL has made this new instrument available for use in our NSF-OPP sponsored research project on the West Antarctic ice streams. JPL would in turn be able to use the instrument to make fluorometric measurements aimed at detection of microbial activity in the deep ice and on rock surfaces. The fluorometric technique represents a forerunner in the development of a method for microbial detection intended ultimately for use in Lake Vostok or similar environments.The objective of this work is thus to apply a new technology to the fundamental problems of rapid ice-stream motion and the existence of microbial activity at or near the basal (ice-till) interface. The research is exploratory in tackling two fundamental observations in Antarctic science that have not been attempted previously. It is high risk in lacking a basis in previous experience for predicting how successful the observations will be.