Daily reports from the NGRIP-camp - week 23 year 2001

Monday, June 4th
Daily life
The weather in camp is still cold and clear, with temperatures between -19 C and -25 C, and blue sky. Next plane comes in a week, and the camp sends lists with items needed with the plane. There will also be some exchange of people. Some need to change their travel back, and it involves changes on ticket and hotel reservations.
Science
The cleaning of the bore hole continues, and at the end of the day, the cleaning reaches down to 1.6 metres above the bottom of the hole, which was drilled last year.
Drilling of shallow firn cores for gas sampling continues, and it is now down in 80 metres (firn is compressed snow, which has not yet become ice). The gas samples are used to study the exchange of air in the firn (see more description in week 21). A 12 meter temperature profile is measured in the holes.
Logistics
Snow is removed from entrances, and the snow blower is used to make a trench for servicing the vehicles (Kaessbohrer).

Tuesday, June 5th
Daily life
A beautiful day with blue sky, almost no wind, and the usual temperatures between -18 C and - 25 C, and last not least a nice conclusion. The camp gathered to celebrate that this seasons first ice core has been drilled!
Science
After a couple of run, alternating between cleaning and drilling in the very bottom part of the hole, something suddenly happened in the fifth run: the instruments showed that the drilling was no longer in slush (mixture of ice grains, drill fluid, and glycol), but it was now down in the pure ice at the bottom of the hole! Back on the surface, it took some time as usual to melt off the frozen glycol from the drill, and finally this seasons first ice core on 58 centimetres could be retrieved! At the bottom, the hole diameter is larger than normal, despite this, the drill could be fixed during drilling. The drilling was done with the short version of the deep drill.
Logistics
The main generator had to checked. It was shut down for 25 minutes for maintenance and changing oil. The generator is placed in the Main Dome, where excess heat is used to heat the building and heat water. During shut down of the generator, all subsurface trenches must be leaved - there is no light- and an unusual silence comes to the Main Dome.

Wednesday, June 6th
Daily life
The weather in camp is still stable with blue sky and little wind. All attention in camp is directed towards the drilling, and the pieces of ice core which is brought up.
Science
During the day, four drill runs are made. In total around 0.5 metre of core was brought up, but also some slush - a mixture of glycol and ice. The small pieces of ice core drilled yesterday and today have been accurately logged, in order to determine the precise depth. It appears that the upper piece fits perfectly to the bottom piece of the ice core drilled last year, but glycol has damaged around 40 centimetres of the core.
Logistics
Beside usual maintenance in camp, there must be time for a visit to the drill trench to follow the drilling, and check if there is any ice core coming up.

Thursday, June 7th
Daily life
Today the sky is overcasted, occasional snow, but warm: -13C - -20C.
Science
The drilling continues as yesterday, but slowly. The day brought up around 70 centimetres of ice core. The bottom of the hole is still filled with slush, and the diameter is too large because of the glycol. There are some problems getting started again at the bottom, but the upper part of the drill is kept sufficiently fixed during drilling. After a serious drill team meating, it is agreed to try a new tactics tomorrow.
Drilling of the shallow ice cores for gas analysis is finished, in 100 metre depth. In this depth, the firn has turned into ice, and there is no longer any exchange of air.
Logistics
Excess heat from the generator is used to make water, but the last few days, the water has been polluted with fuel and durt, because the heavy vehicles are used to fill up the snow melter. The snow melter is emptied and cleaned, and from now it will be filled up with the small snow blower.

Friday, June 8th
Daily life
With plane coming early next week it is last chance to have a few more things sent up. The camp sends a few orders.
Science
The drilling seems to be getting into a stable mode. At the end of the day, two ice cores had come up, both more than a metre long. At the bottom of the hole, the drill must be lowered slowly at the transition from the bottom of last years hole into the new hole. The drilling really seems to be running again now, despite all difficulties.
Logistics
All equipment from the gas drillings has been brought back to the camp. It is now being packed.
The weather is a little warmer, temperatures between -16C and -20C. During the day, the japanese participants start preparing a dinner for the camp. This saturday there is a lot to celebrate: the drilling seems to be running well.

Saturday, June 9th
Daily life
Science
Today there have been three drill run, whith ice cores between 75 cm and 1.1 m.
Logistics
The planned planes coming next week require a good runway, and preparing starts. The runway is prepared by driving at it in both directions with heavy vehicles, so the snow is pressed hard.

Sunday, June 10th
Daily life
Today even warmer than the previous days. Blue sky and -13 to -21C. It is nice to get outside, and the day is used to erect more weatherports in camp, and continue outdoor acitivities.
Science
The drilling continues, but still only slowly. During the day, around 1.5 metre of ice core is brought up in three runs.
In the fine weather, a new shallow drilling is started for dust measurements.
Logistics
With the next planes there will be people visiting the camp for the night (if the planning holds). Weatherports are erected, and there must be beds allocated to all visitors. The runway is continuously being prepared as described yesterday.

Continue to Week 24

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