Andrill project by Christie

Note taking

Why is it important to know how Antarctica has changed when other frozen places in the world are easier to get?
because its so big and its a massive Continent and has 90% of the fresh water. another thing about Antarctica is it been un habitant and it gives you a start to something that hasn't been discovered

s there a risk of cracking the ice?
yes definitely. in the winter it get really thick but by February its almost gone sea ice gets very thick there is a big risk of it cracking but also the risk of it moving what causes the wind and storm

What preparations have been made for drilling to get underway?
they started p[planning 4 this 7 years ago and they started by ordering the drills 4 years ago, a lot of preparation when drilling never stops.

How much time have you spent in Antarctica and has working there changed a lot since you first went there?
started in 1974 as a mountain air Scott base has changed a lot since they first time thy went and the communication has got a lot better, people took the environment for granted, none of those thing have happened b4 they aren’t allowed to leave any rubbish at Antarctica has changed dramatically as well!

What has been the warmest temperature in Antarctica?
Antarctica is a huge place and the temperature keeps changing it never gets higher then 3 o 4 degrees it does vary quite a lot

How does the drill reach 1000m? Ethan A.
get down through the target bend.

What information are you hoping to find out and do you expect this to be different to previous drill core information?
there are two main objectives paleontology which means the way that Antarctica has changed.

How many different nationalities of scientists are there? Do you all get along and do you all use the same methods even though you are from different countries?

there are 4 nations there r the united states NZ, Germany, Italy. they get on well because they understand each other and they all use the same methods,

How do you get the air bags under the sea ice to support the drill rig?
some people may not even be a ware the we use air bags under the drill rig. they send divers down and reach the buoyancy to keeps all the bags in place the diver that they use are very experienced.

What are your hours of work, weekends, breaks and holidays etc for this type of work?
they work 24/7 people on the job use 12 hour shits they get there breaks by spelling people out. when people take a day off only 2 people can do that until they finally reach there target

Do you use the same drill bits to drill through ice and rock and how often do you have to change them? What are the drill bits made of?
the drilling through ice and drilling thought water are quite different. they use a mechanical drill or a hot water drill that’s the most effect way to drill through the ice. They are very small and are made of very strong steel the drill bits can cost $4-5000

What do you miss most when working in Antarctica?
miss his wife and two children but he also misses smell the smell of plants you dont get into Antarctica

Why does the sea riser need to be straight?
we sink into the sea drill and if that’s not straight the coring tubes will rub in the inside and the hole thing starts to slow down

do you need any special skills to work at the drilling place, if so what skills? Renee
we have four students studying geology, a mountaineer, chef, helicopter flyer,______

Has drilling ever had to be halted for any reason and are there people who are against drilling in such a pristine environment?
drills sometime break. hydraulic hoses burst.

Has the drilling process been as successful as you wanted it to be?
each year they have drilled there getting more successful every meter that they drilled it gets more successful.