Design, transport, construction, and operation of the summer base Kohnen for ice-core drilling in Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica

During the austral summer seasons 1999/2000 and 2000/2001 the summer base "Kohnen" was built as a platform for the EPICA deep ice core drilling in Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica. The design is based on prefabricated container units. The base was erected within two summer seasons. Overland traverses with Pistenbully tractors and cargo sledges moved all needed material and base containers from the German base Neumayer at the Antarctic coast to the base Kohnen 750km inland. All installations were completed at the end of the 2000/2001 season including the drill and science trench with a cased 100-m borehole. Thus everything is prepared to start the deep drilling operation during the 2001/2002 austral summer season.