Collaborative Research: Laser Cutting Technology for Borehole Sampling

该项目将采取初步的发展步骤，在冰川和冰盖中建立激光切割冰取样能力。从极地冰盖收集冰样品需要大量的时间、精力和费用。然而，最重要的科学数据往往是从冰芯的一小部分中获取的，虽然重复取芯可以补充冰芯的这一部分，但往往需要根据随后的科学发现或研究地点的钻孔记录获取更多的冰样。此外，目前还没有从由非取芯机械钻钻出的钻孔中提取冰样品的更快、更轻且操作成本更低的简单方法。有许多科学应用可能受益于激光切割的冰样本，包括对覆盖在掩埋的撞击坑和火流星上的冰进行采样，填补从受损冰芯中检索的化学记录的关键空白，以及从取芯钻施加可能使冰破裂的应力的地点获得冰样本。该奖项将探索激光切割技术，以快速从钻孔壁中提取高质量的冰样品。该项目将调查和验证现有的激光冰取样技术，并将使用光纤电缆将光脉冲传送到钻孔仪器，而不是试图在钻孔中部署的仪器中组装一个完整的激光系统。这提供了一种从极地冰盖取回冰样本的新方法，而不需要钻孔来收集冰芯样本（即，该孔可以是机械钻的）。该技术也可以用于现有的钻孔或通过钻冰而形成的钻孔（即，不取芯）或用热水制成。如果成功的话，这项技术将创造一种快速获取冰样本的能力，并且物流足迹很小，并且能够实现否则可能无法支持的科学。这项提议的技术最终可以提供更好的冰芯样本，以研究过去的大气成分，了解过去的气候，并告知未来潜在的冰盖变化。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

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.