July 6, 2022

Cable spooling

Arctic diversity volleyball using a flag line as a substitute for the disappeared net. To the right hand side is the camp bird cage – just in case.

Last year (in 2019), the deep drilling experienced exceptionally hard core breaks, that is, it was necessary to apply more force to break the ice core and pull up the drill than ‘usually’. At other drilling sites in Greenland, the core breaks were generally less hard at the depth and temperatures we are experiencing at EGRIP. We are uncertain about why the core breaks are harder at EGRIP than at other sites. Possibly, it is related to the different ice crystal orientation in the ice of an ice stream compared to that of ice divides, where most other ice cores have been drilled, but that is speculation. Because the force needed to break the core in 2019 pushed the cable and the winch to the limit, there is now a stronger motor attached to the winch and a new and stronger cable will be spooled onto the winch. In order for the cable to be spooled onto the winch correctly, however, there needs to be tension in the cable. Currently, the drillers are working on the cable tensioner that will provide the necessary tension. Otherwise, it has again been a busy day on the surface with favorable weather conditions.

What we did today:

1. Worked on cable tensioner for spooling cable onto winch.
2. Made adjustments to tables in science trench.
3. Changed generator at German shallow drilling site after a breakdown.
4. Drilling at the German shallow drill site. Depth: 87 m.
5. Made all-day radar measurement with the EGRIP radar SE of camp.
6. Doing ApRES tilt measurements in camp.
7. Making ice core box inventory.
8. Performed drone flights all day.
9. No ice blocks were moved today.

Weather today: Twenty-four hours of sunshine and good conditions for outdoor activities. Temp. -19°C to -9°C. Wind: 6-11 kt from SW and later W.

FL, Anders Svensson

The remains of an ice instrument in the EGRIP ‘concert hall’. In 2018, ice musician Terje Isungset and vocalist Maria Skranes performed a beautiful concert in the ‘concert hall', a snow tunnel made for the purpose. Some of the ice instruments made for the concert are still present in the tunnel, although they are slightly degraded after four years. Watch the full concert at: https://tv.nrk.no/program/DVFJ60000018.