Development of an optical scanner for Dome Fuji II ice core project

Abstract

An optical scanner for stratigraphical study was developed for the Dome Fuji ice core project II. The optical scanner measures two-dimensional light scattering intensities and records optical structures of ice cores. We developed the scanner hardware and control software. The line scanner is controlled by a personal computer and is constructed for automatic measurement. The sliding speed of the scanner is about 5mm per second and, therefore, one ice core sample with a standard length for our sample processes (1.5m long) can be measured within about six minutes. The line scanner was transported to Dome Fuji Station, Antarctica, by the wintering party of the 44th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE-44), and will be used for Dome Fuji II ice core measurement by the JARE-45 summer party and successive parties.