2018 Winter

IDP deployed engineers Tanner Kuhl and Grant Boeckmann for the jointly-supported NSF and Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) Law Dome Project. IDP worked for several years with PI Vas Petrenko and the AAD to plan for an ambitious amount of ice coring using three IDP drill systems: a Badger-Eclipse Drill, a 4-Inch Drill, and the Blue Ice Drill. Despite challenging weather conditions, over 1,000 meters of ice core was drilled across six boreholes, surpassing the original science objectives. This project also represented the first deployment of the newly-acquired Blue Ice Drill tent. Project participants report that the tent performed well, even during high winds, allowing for continued operations during inclement weather.

In early January, IDP engineer Jay Johnson deployed to McMurdo Station to lead planned Rapid Access Ice Drill (RAID) maintenance efforts. The team of five set-up the drill rig and completed the modifications and test objectives requested by PIs John Goodge and Jeff Severinghaus. Primary accomplishments include:

• Repair and testing of the hydraulic system
• Testing of the Fluid Recirculation System
• Documentation of operation and winterization procedures
• Installation and testing of new components
• Deployment of a new conductor casing

In addition, the team developed procedural efficiencies to reduce rig set-up and take-down time. Pack-up and module/parts organization will be completed early in the second quarter.

What: U.S. Ice Drilling Program (IDP) Subglacial Access Science Planning Workshop
When: March 29-30, 2019
Where: Herndon, Virginia
Website: https://icedrill.org/meetings/subglacial-access-science-planning-workshop-2019

The U.S. Ice Drilling Program (IDP) Subglacial Access Science Planning Workshop will take place in Herndon, Virginia, on March 29-30, 2019. The primary objective of this workshop is to provide focused feedback from the subglacial research community into the IDP Long Range Science Plan. Specifically, we seek to stimulate discussions that will yield a prioritized list of science objectives and associated targets and requirements (sampling, drilling and support needs) for the coming decade for the 2019 update to the IDP Long Range Science Plan. We will provide options for remote participation for the plenary aspects of the workshop, and also we welcome short presentations and/or written feedback from non-attendees.

We plan to have a draft white paper at the end of the workshop, and we will solicit feedback on the draft after the workshop, but before it is finalized, for inclusion in the IDP Long Range Science Plan. White papers that were written after the prior, 2016, subglacial access workshop can be downloaded here: https://icedrill.org/meetings/subglacial-access-drilling-idpo-science-planning-workshop

There is no registration fee for the workshop, but everyone planning to attend should register so that we will have an accurate headcount for meeting room space and catering. Further details regarding the upcoming workshop in Herndon, including registration instructions, agenda, and future updates, can be found at https://icedrill.org/meetings/subglacial-access-science-planning-workshop-2019.

IDP will be working with the Science Advisory Board and community members in the coming month to update the Long Range Science Plan. If you envision the need for ice drilling for your project in the coming decade, send several sentences describing the science driver and the envisioned field date and location for your project, so that your plans are voiced in this planning document. Please email your input to IceDrill at Dartmouth dot edu soon! The 2018-2028 Long Range Science Plan is available at https://icedrill.org/about/resources.shtml#scienceplan

IDP organized and led the AGU Town Hall on Scientific Drilling in the Polar Regions in Washington, DC (December 11, 2018). The session attracted an audience of approximately 100, and included brief presentations on a number of areas, including NSF Remarks, International Partnerships in Ice Core Sciences (IPICS), Ice Drilling Program (IDP), Subglacial Antarctic Lakes Scientific Access (SALSA), Rapid Access Ice Drill (RAID), and announcements from the audience.

If you receive any support from IDP, we kindly request that you acknowledge IDP in any resultant publications or articles with the following statement: "We thank the U.S. Ice Drilling Program for support activities through NSF Cooperative Agreement 1836328." If you have any questions, please contact us at icedrill@dartmouth.edu.

If you are preparing a National Science Foundation (NSF) proposal that includes any kind of support from IDP, you must include a Letter of Support from IDP in the proposal.

Researchers are asked to provide IDP with a detailed support request three weeks prior to the date the Letter of Support is required. Early submissions are strongly encouraged.

Scientists who seek to include IDP education and outreach activities associated with U.S. ice coring or drilling science projects should contact Louise Huffman at Louise.T.Huffman@Dartmouth.edu during their proposal preparation stage.

For further information on requesting IDP support, visit our website at https://icedrill.org/requesting-field-support or contact us at IceDrill@Dartmouth.edu.