Thermobaric Conditions at Ice-Water Interface in Subglacial Lake Vostok, East Antarctica

P. G. Тalalay, A. N. Markov

Polar Research Center, Jilin University, Changchun, China.

DOI: 10.4236/nr.2015.66040                

Abstract

Thermobaric conditions of subglacial Antarctic environment remain poorly understood, despite recent advances in radar and seismic surveying. The direct accessing to the largest subglacial lake, Lake Vostok, was carried out twice by Russian scientists in February 2012 and January 2015, opening new opportunities for assessing the thermobaric conditions at ice-water interface. According to the assumption that ice sheet is “floating” on the lake, it was predicted that the water would rise 30 - 40 m in the bottom part of the borehole, but in fact the water rose from the lake to a height of more than 500 m. To explain this phenomenon we assume that the pressure in Lake Vostok results from the external pressure of the entire mass of ice above it and the pressure of the water column that is overlaid above the point being considered. Extrapolation of temperature measurements from the deep bore-holes drilled at Vostok Station also confirmed that the bed of the ice sheet is at pressure melting point. As a result of accessing Lake Vostok, the pressure in the lake is reduced that would lead to the formation of a new additional layer of accretion ice on the lower ice sheet surface.

Keywords

Subglacial Lake, Ice Drilling, Hydrostatic Pressure, Borehole Temperature

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Wright, A. and Siegert, M.J. (2011) The Identification and Physiographical Setting of Antarctic Subglacial Lakes: An Update Based on Recent Discoveries. In: Siegert, M.J., Kennicutt II, M.C. and Bindschadler, R.A., Eds., Antarctic Subglacial Aquatic Environments, Geophysical Monograph Series, 192, 1-7.
[2]	Fricker, H.A., Powell, R., Priscu, J., Tulaczyk, S., Anandakrishnan, S., Christner, B., Fisher, A.T., Holland, D., Horgan, H., Jacobel, R., Mikucki, J., Mitchell, A., Scherer, R. and Severinghaus, J. (2011) Siple Coast Subglacial Aquatic Environments: The Whillans Ice Stream Subglacial Access Research Drilling Project. In: Siegert, M.J., Kennicutt II, M.C. and Bindschadler, R.A., Eds., Antarctic Subglacial Aquatic Environments, Geophysical Monograph Series, 192, 199- 219.
[3]	Lukin, V. and Bulat, S. (2011) Vostok Subglacial Lake: Details of Russian Plans/Activities for Drilling and Sampling. In: Siegert, M.J., Kennicutt II, M.C. and Bindschadler, R.A., Eds., Antarctic Subglacial Aquatic Environments, Geophysical Monograph Series, 192, 187-197.
[4]	Mowlem, M.C., Tsaloglou, M.-N., Waugh, E.M., Floquet, C,F.A., Saw, K., Fowler, L., Brown, R., Pearce, D., Wyatt, J.B., Beaton, A.D., Brito, M.P., Hodgson, D.A., Griffiths, G., Bentley, M., Blake, D., Capper, L., Clarke, R., Cockell, C., Corr, H., Harris, W., Hill, C., Hindmarsh, R., King, E., Lamb, H., Maher, B., Makinson, K., Parnell, J., Priscu, J., Rivera, A., Ross, N., Siegert, M.J., Smith, A., Tait, A., Tranter, M., Wadham, J., Whalley, B. and Woodward, J. (2011) Probe Technology for the Direct Measurement and Sampling of Ellsworth Subglacial Lake. In: Siegert, M.J., Kennicutt II, M.C. and Bindschadler, R.A., Eds., Antarctic Subglacial Aquatic Environments, Geophysical Monograph Series, 192, 159-186. http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2010gm001013
[5]	Popov, S.V., Masolov, V.N. and Lukin, V.V. (2011) Ozero Vostok, Vostochnaya Antarctida: Moschnost’ lednika, glubina ozera, podlyednyi i korennoi relyef [Lake Vostok, East Antarctica: Thickness of Ice, Depth of the Lake, Subglacial and Bedrock Topography]. Snegilyed [Snow and Ice], 1, 25-35. [In Russian]
[6]	Siegert, M. J., Kwok, R., Mayer, C. and Hubbard, B. (2000) Water Exchange between the Subglacial Lake Vostok and the Overlying Ice Sheet. Nature, 403, 643-646. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/35001049
[7]	Kapitsa, A.P., Ridley, J.K., de Robin, Q.G., Siegert, M.J. and Zotikov, I.A. (1996) A Large Deep Freshwater Lake beneath the Ice of Central East Antarctica. Nature, 381, 684-686. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/381684a0
[8]	Vasiliev, N.I., Lipenkov, V.Ya., Dmitriev, A.N., Podolyak, A.V. and Zubkov, V.M. (2012) Rezul’taty i osobennosti bureniya skvazhiny 5G i pervogo vskrytiya ozera Vostok [Results and Characteristics of 5G Hole Drilling and the First Tapping of Lake Vostok]. Snegilyed [Snow and Ice], 4, 12-20. [in Russian].
[9]	Talalay, P.G. (2012) Russian Researchers Reached Subglacial Lake Vostok in Antarctica. Advances in Polar Science, 23, 176-180. http://dx.doi.org/10.3724/SP.J.1085.2012.00176
[10]	Lukin, V.V. and Vasiliev, N.I. (2014) Technological Aspects of the Final Phase of Drilling Borehole 5G and Unsealing Vostok Subglacial Lake, East Antarctica. Annals of Glaciology, 55, 83-89. http://dx.doi.org/10.3189/2014AoG65A002
[11]	Lukin, V.V. (2015) Novyi shag k neizvedannomu (k proniknoveniyu v podlednikovoe ozero Vostok 25 yanvarya 2015 g.) [A New Step into the Unknown (About Penetration into the Subglacial Lake Vostok on January 25, 2015)]. AARI Press. http://www.aari.nw.ru/news/text/2015/Восток 2015.pdf (In Russian)
[12]	Lukin, V.V. (2011) Poslednie shagi pered nachalom proniknoveniya v ozero Vostok (The Last Steps before the Penetration into Lake Vostok). Press Release of Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, St-Petersburg. www.aari.nw.ru/docs/press_release/2011/Восток 1412 add.pdf (In Russian)
[13]	Salamatin, A.N., Vostretsov, R.N., Petit, J.-R., Lipenkov, V.Y. and Barkov, N.I. (1998) Geofizicheskiye i paleklimaticheskiye prilozheniya sostavnogo temperaturnogo profilya iz glubokoi skvazhyni na stantsii Vostok (Antarcktida) [Geophysical and Paleoclimatic Implications of the Stacked Profile from the Deep Borehole at Vostok Station (Antarctica)]. Materialy gliatsiologicheskikh issledovanii (Data of Glaciological Studies), 85, 233-240. (In Russian)
[14]	Liu, H., Jezek, K.C. and Li, B. (1999) Development of an Antarctic Digital Elevation Model by Integrating Cartographic and Remotely Sensed Data: A Geographic Information System Based Approach. Journal of Geophysical Research, 104, 23199-23213. http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/1999jb900224
[15]	Siegert, M.J., Ellis-Evans, J.C., Tranter, M., Mayer, C., Petit, J.-R., Salamatin, A. and Priscu J.C. (2001) Physical, Chemical and Biological Processes in Lake Vostok and Other Antarctic Subglacial Lakes. Nature, 414, 603-609. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/414603a
[16]	Popov, S.S., Sheremetyev, A.N., Masolov, V.N. and Lukin, V.V. (2005) Beregovaya cherta podlenikovogo ozera Vostok i prilegayuchshie vodoemy: Interpretatsiya dannykh radiolokatsionnogo profilirovaniya (The Coastal Feature of Subglacial Lake Vostok and the Surrounding Reservoirs: Interpretation of Radar Sounding). Data of Glaciological Research, 98, 73-80. (In Russian)
[17]	Pattyn, F., De Smedt, B. and Souchez, R. (2004) Influence of Subglacial Vostok Lake on the Regional Ice Dynamics of the Antarctic Ice Sheet: A Model Study. Journal of Glaciology, 50, 583-589. http://dx.doi.org/10.3189/172756504781829765
[18]	Verkulich, S.R., Kudryashov, B.B., Barkov, N.I., Vasiliev, N.I., Vostretsov, R.N., Dmitriev, A.N., Zubkov, V.M., Krasilev, A.V., Talalay, P.G., Lipenkov, V.Y., Savatyugin, L.M. and Kuz’mina, I.N. (2002) Proposal for Penetration and Exploration of Sub-Glacial Lake Vostok, Antarctica. Memoirs of National Institute of Polar Research, 56, 245-252.
[19]	Water Sampling of the Subglacial Lake Vostok (2002) Draft Comprehensive Environmental Evaluation, XXV Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, Working Paper WP-019, Agenda Item: CEP 4c.
[20]	Salamatin, A.N., Lipenkov, V., Smirnov, Y., Ye, K. and Zhilova, Y.V. (1985) Plotnost’ Iednikovogo I’da i yego reologicheskiye svoystva (The Density of Glacier Ice and Its Rheological Properties). Antarktika, 24, 94-106. (In Russian)
[21]	Tchistyakov, V.K., Kracilev, A., Lipenkov, V.Y., Balestrieri, J.P., Rado, C. and Petit, J.R. (1994) Behavior of a Deep Hole Drilled in Ice at Vostok Station. Memoirs of National Institute of Polar Research, 49, 247-255.
[22]	Markov, A.N. and Talalay, P.G. (2014) Otsenka termobaricheskogo sostoyania i izmenenia balansa massy podlednikovogo ozera Vostok posle vsrytia (Assessment of Thermobaric State and Change of the Mass Balance in the Subglacial Lake Vostok after Drilling-In). Lied iSneg (Ice and Snow), 1, 20-26. (In Russian)
[23]	Popov, S.V. and Chernoglazov, Y.B. (2011) Podlednikovoe ozero Vostok, Vostochnaiya Antarktida: Beregovaiy liniya i okrujayuhie vodoyomi (Subglacial Lake Vostok, East Antarctica: The Coastline and Surrounding Waters). Snegilyed (Ice and Snow), 1, 13-24. (In Russian)
[24]	Flowers, G.E. and Clarke, G.K.C. (2002) A Multicomponent Coupled Model of Glacier Hydrology 2. Application to Trapridge Glacier, Yukon, Canada. Journal of Geophysical Research, 107, 2288. http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2001JB001124
[25]	Copland, L., Sharp, M.J. and Nienow, P.W. (2003) Links between Short-Term Velocity Variations and the Subglacial Hydrology of a Predominantly Cold Polythermal Glacier. Journal of Glaciology, 49, 337-348. http://dx.doi.org/10.3189/172756503781830656
[26]	Flowers, G.E., Bjornsson, H., Pálsson, F. and Clarke, G.K.C. (2004) A Coupled Sheet-Conduit Mechanism for Jokulhlaup Propagation. Geophysical Research Letters, 31, Article ID: L05401. http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2003GL019088
[27]	Johnsen, S.J., Hansen, S.B., Sheldon, S.G., Dahl-Jensen, D., Steffensen, J.P., Augustin, L., Journé, P., Alemany, O., Rufli, H., Schwander, J., Azuma, N., Motoyama, H., Popp, T., Talalay, P., Thorsteinsson, T., Wilhelms, F. and Zagorodnov, V. (2007) The Hans Tausen Drill: Design, Performance, Further Developments and Some Lessons Learned. Annals of Glaciology, 47, 89-98. http://dx.doi.org/10.3189/172756407786857686
[28]	Motoyama, H. (2007) The Second Deep Ice Coring Project at Dome Fuji, Antarctica. Scientific Drilling, 5, 41-43. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/sd-5-41-2007
[29]	Vostretsov, R.N., Dmitriev, D.N., Putikov, O.F., Blinov, K.V. and Mitin, S.V. (1984) Osnovnyie rezul’taty geofizicheskih issledovanyi glubokikh svazhin i ledyanogo kerna v Vostochnoi Antarktide (The Main Results of Geophysical Studies of Deep Bore-Holes and Ice Core in East Antarctica). Materialy glyatsiologicheskikh issledovanyi (Data of Glaciological Studies), 51, 172-178. (In Russian)
[30]	Markov, A.N. and Kotlyakov, V.M. (2006) Specific Features of the Ice Dynamics in Eastern Antarctica. Doklady Earth Sciences, 441, 1427-1430. http://dx.doi.org/10.1134/S1028334X06090200
[31]	Wagner, W., Riethmann, T., Feistel, R. and Harvey, A.H. (2011) New Equations for the Sublimation Pressure and Melting Pressure of H2O Ice Ih. Journal of Physical and Chemical Reference Data, 40, Article ID: 043103. http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3657937
[32]	Pattynn, F. (2010) Antarctic Subglacial Conditions Inferred from a Hybrid Ice Sheet/Ice Stream Model. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 295, 451-461. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2010.04.025
[33]	Smith, B.E., Fricker, H.A., Joughin, I.R. and Tulaczyk, S. (2009) An Inventory of Active Subglacial Lakes in Antarctica Detected by ICESat (2003-2008). Journal of Glaciology, 55, 573-595. http://dx.doi.org/10.3189/002214309789470879