Brief communication: New sonde to unravel the mystery of polar subglacial lakes

Y. Sun; Y. Sun; B. Li; X. Fan; Y. Li; G. Li; H. Yu; H. Li; D. Wang; N. Zhang; D. Gong; R. Wang; Y. Li; P. G. Talalay

doi:10.5194/tc-17-1089-2023

The Cryosphere (Mar 2023)

Brief communication: New sonde to unravel the mystery of polar subglacial lakes

Y. Sun,
Y. Sun,
B. Li,
X. Fan,
Y. Li,
G. Li,
H. Yu,
H. Li,
D. Wang,
N. Zhang,
D. Gong,
R. Wang,
Y. Li,
P. G. Talalay

Affiliations

Y. Sun: Polar Research Center, Jilin University, Changchun, China
Y. Sun: School of Engineering and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, China
B. Li: School of Engineering and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, China
X. Fan: Polar Research Center, Jilin University, Changchun, China
Y. Li: Polar Research Institute of China, Shanghai, China
G. Li: Nanjing Institute of Astronomical Optics and Technology, National Astronomical Observatories, CAS, Nanjing, China
H. Yu: College of Electronics and Information, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, China
H. Li: National Ocean Technology Center, Tianjin, China
D. Wang: Aerospace System Engineering Shanghai, Shanghai, China
N. Zhang: Polar Research Center, Jilin University, Changchun, China
D. Gong: Polar Research Center, Jilin University, Changchun, China
R. Wang: Polar Research Center, Jilin University, Changchun, China
Y. Li: School of Engineering and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, China
P. G. Talalay: Polar Research Center, Jilin University, Changchun, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1089-2023
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 17
pp. 1089 – 1095

Abstract

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The newly developed RECoverable Autonomous Sonde (RECAS) allows sampling and analysis of subglacial water while the subglacial lake remains isolated from the surface. The sonde was successfully tested in East Antarctica during the 2021–2022 field season: it reached the ice-sheet base at a depth of 200.3 m, sampled basal meltwater and measured its pressure, temperature, pH and conductivity and returned to the ice surface. The average downward penetration rate was 1.85 m h−1, and the average upward penetration rate was 2.94 m h−1. The successful test of a self-melting, recoverable probe in Antarctica marks further progress towards the clean exploration of subglacial water bodies.

Published in The Cryosphere

ISSN: 1994-0416 (Print); 1994-0424 (Online)
Publisher: Copernicus Publications
Country of publisher: Germany
LCC subjects: Geography. Anthropology. Recreation: Environmental sciences; Science: Geology
Website: http://www.the-cryosphere.net/

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