American Team Drills Through to Under-Ice Antarctic Lake

First Evidence of Life in Antarctic Subglacial Lake Whillans…

A team of American researchers has succeeded in their attempt to drill down and reach the Lake Whillans, an Antarctic Under-Ice lake buried about 1km from the surface.

On Sunday, the group of scientists stated that the sensors on the drilling system indicated a variation in pressure, which is a sign of contacting the lake. Then on Monday they announced reaching the Lake Whillans, and collecting water samples from it that would be further analyzed for the presence of life.

From the hundreds of under-ice lakes in Antarctica, sealed under the thick ice layer, the Lake Vostok was the only one that had been reached previously. It was done by a group of Russian researchers about a year back, and they have not fully analyzed those samples yet.

In December 2012, a group of British scientists abandoned their efforts of drilling into the Lake Ellsworth due to technical difficulties.

The US team which is backed by $10 million from the National Science Foundation, is planning to investigate the lake using a remote controlled submersible and to take samples of deposits from the bottom of the lake. In addition to microbial life, they are also hoping to get information about past ice movement, water flow and climate changes.

The group is a combination of about 50 technicians, scientists and support staff.

American Team Drills Through to Under-Ice Antarctic Lake

2013-01-01

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First Evidence of Life in Antarctic Subglacial Lake Whillans…