Firn-gas program comes into routine and the new kitchen is under construction
The international flag line.
The shallow drill is now operational at the firn gas site. It is shifted back and forth between the two boreholes drilling to the depths requested by the two firn-gas pumping teams. When the requested depths are reached the gas pumping team lowers their equipment into the holes and pump air from the bottom of the borehole. The ice cores are brought back to the science trench where 2.5 cm isotope samples are cut and the electrical conductivity (ECM) are measured along the cores. The main part of the two ice cores will be shipped back to NEEM partners (Severinghaus and Kipfstuhl have asked for them). The drill trench was prepared for casing. In the dome the intermediate kitchen is removed and the permanent kitchen elements are placed. There is power in the dome, the radiator heating is turned on and we hope for water running on Saturday.
S2 (Mainly used for the European Gas Programs)
Gas pumping at 10.1m and 14.8m
Processed ice core: bag 18 (depth: 9.90m)
S3 (Mainly used for US Gas Progams)
Gas pumping at 19.3m
Processed ice core: bag 33(depth:18.15m)
(S3a: a borehole was aborted at the depth 13.2m due to a speedmarker dropped in the borehole. This core is stored in bag 13-24 (7.15-13.20m) while the detailed 2.5cm isotope sampling is from the surface)
What we have done today:
- Prepared the drill trench for casing
- Pulled power cables in the camp.
- Started construction of the permanent kitchen
- Started the radiator heating in the dome
- Worked on the snowmelter system
- Placed electrical heating and insulation on water and glycol pipes
- International flagline in place
- Cut 2.5 cm water isotope samples and measured ECM on S2 and S3 ice cores
- Firn-gas pumping successfully operating. S3 (US) depth: 19.3m, S2 (EU) depth 14.8m
- Traverse preparations
Weather: overcast with light snow fall, -16 - 11 C, wind 14 knots from S, visibility 0.5 mile
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