Future technical developments for the Polar Ice Coring Office 13.2 cm ice coring drill

Engineering development of the PICO 13.2cm ice coring drill has been hampered by the fact that the drill was always expected to be in the field and in use on projects even during its technical developmental stage. Since the size and site-specific nature of the drill precluded a proper systems test, the system has nearly always experienced significant unexpected teething problems during its first few years of project use. Most of these problems have been successfully eliminated. It is now time to address the final developmental stage of the drill system in the forms of simplification, maximum reliability and minimal logistical requirements. This paper will explore potential design solutions for accomplishing these goals. Areas to be covered include minimizing tower height, simplifying the surface handling procedures, minimizing system set-up and teardown time, minimizing overall logistical weight, minimizing the drilling fluid requirement and flexibility-tailoring of the system to specific project field conditions. Future system design and procedural modifications toward these ends and others will be examined and evaluated.