Bedrock is near
Inclined layer of dirt in the ice core at 574 m depth (bag 1044).
Drilling is up to speed again. The ECM shows that we have passed several warm periods today, one 2 m section having ECM values at Holocene levels, other periods at lower ECM levels. The ice is almost transparent now, but it still contains some air bubbles. From 571.5 m depth downwards small clusters of mm-sized brown-colored particulate matter appeared in the core suggesting that bedrock is near. At around 574 m depth cm-thick layers of ‘dirt’ at various inclinations appeared. The last core drilled was relatively clean. Logging depth is 577.36 m. Will we hit bedrock tomorrow?
In the morning Andrea, Niccoló and Anders took another 11m firn core (A08) from the bottom of a 2m pit 100 m north of camp (next to A06 drilling site). Together with the 4m pit sampled yesterday, this should make a detailed profile from surface to 13m depth.
In the evening the cooling unit for the freezer stopped working, probably due to too much snow inside the unit. After changing a fuse it runs again but at reduced efficiency, so it need some maintenance today, possibly replacement by parts from the spare unit. The oil filters were changed on the two running generators by Jakob.
Weather: Mostly overcast and more snowfall. The horizon comes and goes and contrast changes from none to fair as clouds and snow showers pass by. Sometimes we have blue sky right above us but clouds at all sides of the ice cap in the valleys. The snowfall of the last days has resulted in a 20-30 thick layer of fresh soft snow. Temperatures -8°C to -10°C. Wind 3-5 m/s from N and NW.
Looking into a mining shaft of the ice cap. Andrea keeping track of sample beakers at 2m depth and Niccoló sampling at 4m depth (yesterday).
Snow, snow, and more snow… One snow shower after the other passes camp leaving thick soft layers of Christmas snow.
Example of brownish particulate matter in the ice core.
Renland FL, Anders
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