A Buoyancy Stabilized Hot Point Drill for Glacier Studies

Hot point drills are practical tools for penetrating glaciers for ice thickness and temperature measurements and other glaciological studies. Buoyancy stabilization ensures a vertical attitude of the drill and a plumb hole using a heavy hot point and a light upper section which floats in the surrounding melt water. The buoyant force is less than the weight of the drill in air but its rectifying moment about the fulcrum (the tip) is greater than the tilting moment of the drill weight. Two methods to prevent refreezing of the melt water are proposed to permit drilling in cold ice and to assure continued access to the hole.