Deep Core Drilling by Japanese Antarctic Research Expeditions

Deep drilling by Japanese Antarctic Research Expeditions in 1971 during JARE XII began at Mizuho Camp (70°42.1' S, 44°17.5' E) with a 400-m winch, a 2.4-kW thermal drill and a 100-W electrodrill. In 1972, JARE XIII reached 147.5 m with a new thermal drill. Plans were made in 1973 to reach 800 m by February 1975, so JARE XV installed a new 800-m winch at Mizuho in May 1974. Drilling will start in October 1974 with a 3-kW thermal drill. In January 1975, two people from JARE XVI will join the operation with another 3-kW thermal drill. A thermal drill similar to JARE XV's and a 400-W electrodrill were tested in November 1973 at Ice Island T-3 by a party from Nagoya University, who successfully obtained 30 m of 250-mm-diameter cores using those drills and a large 6-kW thermal drill. JARE programs have thus made two winches, five thermal drills and two electrodrills, and one thermal drill is now in preparation.