Deep Ice Drilling System

Development of New Ice Drilling System
The deep ice drill, which had been developed for the 1st Dome Fuji Project, was highly-respected by the countries involved, and its technology was adopted by the deep drill for the Europe project. For the 2nd Dome Fuji Project, we use the world's best standards new drill added refinements. The total length of the drill is approximately 12m, and the length of ice core obtaind by one run is 3-4m. The speed of drilling operation will be much higher than it was.

Liquid Drilling Method
The air pressure at the bottom of ice sheet is much high, approximately 300 hPa. In order to prevent the drill hole from narrowing by the ice pressure, the drill hole should be filled with the liquid whose density is same as ice. The liquid should not be freezed in the driil hole, and should not affect the Antarctic environment and health of drilling operators.

Down the drill into the hole | The cutters mounted at the top of the drill rotate and chsel the ice around the column-shaped ice-core. | Chips of ice is transported by the rotated core barrel to the chip chamber | Cut the ice core after 3-4m advance of the drill | Pull up the drill | Push our the ice core from the core barrel | replenish lost drill liquid ↓ Down the drill

Drilling Site

Push-out the ice core