The 4-Inch Drill is an electromechanical ice coring drill that takes a 104 mm (4-inch) diameter core. Cores can be retrieved from depths to approximately 400 meters. Winches with 100-, 200-, and 400-meter cables are available. The drill is of a mature design and has been used successfully for several decades. It is particularly useful on projects requiring a larger diameter core than produced by the Eclipse or Foro 400 drills. Depending on configuration, the drill can be transported by light aircraft or helicopter.
The 4-Inch Drill was used at Law Dome Antarctica during the 2018-2019 season and with the Rapid Access Ice Drill (RAID) project near Minna Bluff, Antarctica during the 2019-2020 season. Two 4-Inch Drill winches and a tower were also deployed to Thwaites Glacier during 2019-2020 for use by a science team for instrument installation in a hot water hole. A 4-Inch Drill is currently being used with the GreenDrill project in Greenland for drilling pilot holes and for bailing fluid from the ASIG Drill holes.
IDP currently has two 4-Inch Drill systems ready for issue. To meet continued demand for a drill of this type, IDP designed and fabricated a drill known as the Foro 400 Drill. A 4-Inch Drill system will still be maintained. However, the Foro 400 Drill offers new capabilities and substantial weight savings, albeit with a smaller (3.9-inch) diameter core. A new chips bailer was designed for use with the 4-Inch Drill system in 2019 for clearing cuttings from pilot holes drilled by ASIG Drill augers. In late 2020, new winch crates were implemented, and the readout and control boxes were re-calibrated.
Equipment Details
| Name | 4-Inch Drill |
|---|---|
| Type |
Type
Ice coring
|
| Number in Inventory |
Number in Inventory
2
|
| Max. Practical Depth |
Max. Practical Depth
300-350 m
|
| Hole Diameter |
Hole Diameter
145 mm (5.7 inches)
|
| Ice Core Diameter |
Ice Core Diameter
104 mm (4 inches)
|
| Ice Core Length |
Ice Core Length
1 m
|
| IDP Driller Required? |
IDP Driller Required?
Yes, 1 driller (2 people required for drill operation)
|
| Drill Fluid Required? |
Drill Fluid Required?
No
|
| Power Requirements/Source |
Power Requirements/Source
220 V, 5 kW generator
|
| Estimated Drilling Time |
Estimated Drilling Time
100 m - 30 hours |
| Time to Move (breakdown and setup) |
Time to Move (breakdown and setup)
6 hours
|
| Helicopter Transportable? |
Helicopter Transportable?
Yes
|
| Light Aircraft Transportable? |
Light Aircraft Transportable?
Yes
|
| Shipping Weight |
Shipping Weight
2600 lbs |
| Shipping Volume (Cube) |
Shipping Cube
146 |
| Comments |
Documents
| Citation | Year |
|---|---|
| NSF Ice Drilling Program (2019) 4-Inch Drill Operations and Maintenance Manual. 1-40. | 2019 |
Photos
Drill site at Dome C, Antarctica, with the 4-Inch Drill during the 2024/25 field season. Credit: Jay Johnson.
IDP Engineer Jay Johnson operates the 4-Inch Drill outdoors and behind wind screens at Dome C, Antarctica, during the 2024/25 field season. Credit: Estelle Vincent.
Beth Bergeron (left) and Michael Jayred (right) drilling a 130-meter deep ice core at WAIS Divide, Antarctica, during the 2006-2007 summer field season. Photo: Joseph Souney
Setting up the 4-Inch Drill's tower with Mt. Waddington (British Columbia, Canada) in the background. Photo: Doug Clark
The inner barrel of the 4-Inch Drill lays on a table at WAIS Divide, Antarctica. Photo: Steven Profaizer / National Science Foundation
Complete unit operating is ~1000 lbs. Heaviest component is winch (on sled) at ~500 lbs.