In PY 2014, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) gifted its 4000 meter logging winch to the University of Wisconsin-Madison for continued use by the polar logging community. The winch was used extensively for logging boreholes in both Greenland and Antarctica and was last deployed during the 2014-2015 Antarctic season for logging at WAIS Divide.
The USGS winch is capable of logging boreholes 4400 meters deep. The cable is a standard four-conductor logging cable headed with a standard 1-inch outer-diameter Gearhart-Owen variant. The winch has a broadband slip-ring connector enabling it to transmit both analog and high speed digital signals from DC to 250 MHz.
Equipment Details
| Name | USGS Deep Logging Winch |
|---|---|
| Type |
Type
Logging
|
| Number in Inventory |
Number in Inventory
1
|
| Max. Practical Depth |
Max. Practical Depth
4400 m
|
| IDP Driller Required? |
IDP Driller Required?
Yes (usually)
|
| Power Requirements/Source |
Power Requirements/Source
208 V (Hubbell 231A) and 120 V; 10 kW generator
|
| Helicopter Transportable? |
Helicopter Transportable?
No
|
| Light Aircraft Transportable? |
Light Aircraft Transportable?
No
|
| Shipping Weight |
Shipping Weight
4,260 lbs |
| Shipping Volume (Cube) |
Shipping Cube
135 |
| Comments |
Documents
| Citation | Year |
|---|---|
| NSF Ice Drilling Program (2019) USGS Deep Logging Winch Operations and Maintenance Manual. 1-23. | 2019 |
| IDDO (2017) Logging Tool Testing: An Informational Guide - Logging Tool Equipment Testing at IDDO. 1-13. | 2017 |
| Gary D Clow (2008) USGS Polar Temperature Logging System, Description and Measurement Uncertainties. U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods 2-E3, 1-24. https://pubs.usgs.gov/tm/02e03/ | 2008 |
Photos
IDP driller/winch operator Elizabeth Morton assists with borehole logging operations at WAIS Divide, Antarctica, during the 2011-2012 summer field season. Credit: Kristina Slawny
View of the inside of the borehole logging tent at WAIS Divide, Antarctica, and the USGS Deep Logging Winch (for logging boreholes up to 4400-meters deep) during the 2014-2015 summer field season. Credit: Don Voigt
Project History
| 2014-2015 Antarctic - Temperature Logging of the WAIS Divide Borehole, West Antarctica |
| 2014-2015 Antarctic - Seismic Logging of the WAIS Divide Borehole, West Antarctica |
| 2014-2015 Antarctic - Optical Fabric and Fiber Logging of Glacial Ice |
| 2014-2015 Antarctic - Velvet Ice – Evolution of Fabric and Texture in Ice at WAIS Divide, West Antarctica |
Weights and dimensions above do not include a generator or fuel