Daily reports from the NGRIP-camp - week 32, 2004
Monday, August 2
|
| Daily life |
The new shallow drilling is now the focus of camp
personel. As drilling is done outside on the surface, work is not
exactly fun when it snows and blows.
|
| Science |
48 m have now been drilled in the new hole. In the ice
core processing samples for isotopes are cut and electrical
conductivity is measured. 18.5 m have been processed today.
|
| Logistics |
Maintenance and repairs have been done on the two
tracked vehicles.
|
Tuesday, August 3
|
| Daily life |
Today drilling was only done in the afternoon. The
weather was simply too bad. It was overcast and snow fall and snow
drift due to
winds of 10 m/s. Visibility went right down to less than 100 m.
Everything
was white. Afterwards it was again necessary to use the snowblower
around all entrances.
|
| Science |
It has been necessary to exchange the generator at the
drill site with a larger one. The drilling is now at 60 m. 42.9 m core
have been processed.
|
| Logistics |
|
Wednesday, August 4
|
| Daily life |
Today drilling has been a little dramatic as three
pieces of the drill tower got loose - and fell into the hole.
After some
fishing the pieces were retrieved. The drillers also discovered
something
else: The drill is somewhat heavier than the drill the tower originally
was constructed for. To avoid a runaway of the winch during desent,
drillers
have to hold on to a friction brake. With the heavy drill the friction
causes
the drillers gloves to smoke, so they had to cool gloves (and the
brake)
with snow.
|
| Science |
91 m have now been drilled. Tomorrow liquid will be
added to the hole to continue drilling in the liquid. 67.65 m core have
now been processed and the acid layer from the Icelandic volcano, Laki,
in 1783 AD was found in 64 m depth.
|
| Logistics |
All tables have now been removed from the old drill
trench. And the first little accident happened as Henry cut himself,
and
the camp Doctor went into action for the first time to give him a
stitch.
The large German sledges, that will be set into depot after the field
season
for future expeditions, were epmtied and cleaned. Once again, it was
necessary
to remove snow from all entrances.
|
Thursday, August 5
|
| Daily life |
Ventilators are being dismantled in the old drill
trench. The weather is now really good with sunshine and -10 to -23 C
and almost no wind. There is fog in the morning - typical high pressure
weather.
|
| Science |
The drillers have now reached 95 m. Progress is slow
because the drill head is not properly adjusted for drilling in liquid.
One
of the drillers, Trevor, apparently forgot he was drilling in liquid
again
so he got completely soaked as the drill splashed liquid at him. He got
so mad that he turned around and declared that he would not drill
anymore. After he got dry socks on again, he continued drilling. He got
a few nasty comments from his friends on his nice kerosene smell. The
drillers have got a little help: A resistance in the form of heating
elements now brakes the winch during desent. So instead of generating
some burned gloves during desent, the drillers now generate melted snow.
|
| Logistics |
Packing into depot for future expeditions continues.
|
Friday, August 6
|
| Daily life |
Yesterday night a terrible accident happened during
a game of dice. One of the most popular CDs fell into the rubbish bin.
After a long search with torches and other instruments the CD was
found. A treatment under the water sprayer in the kitchen sink made it
playable again !
|
| Science |
After several attempts to drill in a liquid, the
drillers had to accept the fact that the cutters, shoes and the drill
head were not adjusted properly for wet drilling. They continue without
liquid and drilled another 10 m. The drilling was stopped at 110 m
because camp has to pack
down next week. The 110 m ice core gives extra material from the last
400
years for research. We are satisfied with this outcome.
|
| Logistics |
All fuel is now placed on large sledges and put into
depot. Excavation of the garage in preparation of packing the garage
down is in progress. Snow has been removed from the top roof of the
drill trench, so that a section of the roof can be removed later.
Weather was fine with autumn temperatures: - 12 C by day and -29 C by
night.
|
Saturday, August 7
|
| Daily life |
Today marked the termination of all scientific work.
From now on camp has to be packed down. It is going to be a strange
time where
the snow caves and buildings will be closed and taken down one by one.
|
| Science |
The drilling is terminated at 110.5 m. Ice core
processing and sample cutting is done. We have got snow/ice from the
last 400 years.
|
| Logistics |
The drilling equipment is dismantled and put in the
garage to dry. The science equipment is set to dry in the main dome.
All
fuel is put into depot on sledges on snow hills.
|
Sunday, August 8
|
| Daily life |
Today the end of NGRIP drilling activities were
celebrated
with a bonfire made from pieces of wood from the now closed trenches.
|
| Science |
All drilling and science equipment has been packed into
crates - ready for shipment.
|
| Logistics |
The camp has been mapped by GPS so that, in the future,
the borehole and the depots may be located. The skiway (landing strip
for
Hercules aircraft) has been groomed.
|
Continue to Week 33
|
