Science Requirements for a Hot Water Drill

The main science targets envisioned are:

1. Ice shelf drilling for ocean access for emplacing oceanographic instruments (e.g. CTD), similar to the PIG project, sediment sampling and geothermal gradients. Example; LarISSA, Thwaites Glacier.
2. Basal access to fast-flowing ice streams (e.g., Kamb/Engelhardt) and outlet glaciers (Iken + on Jakobshavn), and alpine glaciers (e.g. Amundsen/Truffer on Black Rapids); basal access drill for sediment sampling, water pressure, temperature, temperature gradients, till deformation measurements, englacial properties, strain rate measurements, etc (Caltech/Lissard-like drill);
3. Basal access to bedrock beneath slow moving ice for sampling sediments and rock for lithology and exposure age dating;
4. Ice shelf access for ROV deployment, sediment sampling and geothermal gradients, similar to WISSARD/RAGES project

There are a few main technical drivers: hole diameter, transport requirement, and a clean- access requirement.

We anticipate that the items (1), (2), and (3) can be addressed by one “class” of drill, and that (4) may require a different class. In particular, if the ROV/AUV requires a larger diameter hole (1m), that would be incompatible with the transport requirements and energy transmitted down hole (volume of hot water). Both classes of drill are required for different science targets.