Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

The Exploration of Subglacial Lake Ellsworth  (Lake Ellsworth Exploration)

Outline
The aim of the project is to quantify physical, chemical and microbiological processes within Lake Ellsworth, a 10 km long West Antarctic subglacial lake, through direct measurement and sampling of lake water and sediment (and laboratory analysis). The following five objectives are required to meet the project’s aim. (1) To undertake a comprehensive geophysical survey of the lake and its locale. A proposal has been submitted to the UK-NERC Antarctic Funding Initiative. Fieldwork, involving seismic and radar sounding of the lake floor and ice base, and surface measurements of the flow and accumulation of ice, is planned for 2006-7. The outcome will be the characterisation of Lake Ellsworth’s physiography, and the establishment of a location for lake entry. (2) To develop instruments necessary for measurement (and sampling) of the lake environment, and their installation within a probe (including a tether and communication system). This work has already started; we intend to use instruments developed by project members for astrobiology. Completion of this objective, including testing, will be in 2007-8. (3) To develop a hot-water drill capable of creating a 30 cm wide, 3.5 km deep, borehole above Lake Ellsworth, and maintaining it for 36 hours. Around 400 m of water will be taken from the borehole prior to lake entry, to ensure melt water does not enter the lake. This work will be completed (and tested) in 2007-8. (4) To undertake the direct measurement and sampling of Lake Ellsworth. The probe (which will be sterilised) will be sent through the borehole into the lake, whereupon it will be lowered through the water column to the lake floor, and then back to the lake surface. Measurements of the lake water will be taken continuously. Samples of water and sediments will also be taken. The field experiment will take around 24 hours to complete. (If the hole can be kept open for long enough we may be able to deploy a sediment corer into the lake and to leave an instrument string in the lake with a hardwire to a surface data logger.) This objective could take place in 2007-8, provided all testing of equipment is satisfactory. It may be more prudent, however, to plan this work in 2008-9. (5) To conduct laboratory analyses of lake samples. In conjunction with the direct measurements, laboratory analysis of samples will define the lake water chemistry, and the nature of the lacustrine microbiological community. If a sediment core is recovered, laboratory analysis will reveal the palaeoenvironment history recorded within it. This work will be complete within six months of the fieldwork. Contamination control is an essential component of the project. We will seek advice from the SALE-UNITED umbrella IPY programme on this issue. We note that hot water drilling has been used on several occasions to access and sample the base of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Subglacial lake environments have been hypothesised as habitats for unique, extremophile microbial life during the past decade. Direct sampling and measurements is the only way to test this hypothesis unequivocally. No subglacial lake has been analysed in this way, however. These environments are, therefore, at the frontiers of science and exploration. The exploration of Lake Ellsworth will make major advances in understanding the form and diversity of microbial communities in subglacial lakes, and how such life may function in this extreme environment. The work will also establish the nature of ice-sheet and climate records held in lake floor sediments.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
The project is a component of the SALE-UNITED proposal to conduct multidisciplinary research on a variety of Antarctic subglacial lake environments. Lake Ellsworth Exploration benefits from the involvement of over twenty UK scientists from ten institutions, and colleagues from Belgium, Germany, Sweden, New Zealand and the USA.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Subglacial Lake Ellsworth is located in Ellsworth Land, West Antarctica. Its coordinates are: Latitude, 79.00 S; Longitude, 90.50 W. It may also be a useful, cost-efficient and scientifically interesting experiment to test equipment within the subglacial lake at Vatnajokull, Iceland, which adds a bi-polar dimension to the project.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 06/07 –08/07            
Antarctic: 09/07 –02/08      11/08 – 01/09      

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Fuel (200 drums) and equipment deposit (40 tonnes plus housing) is required in West Antarctica. Establishment of an infrastructure to deliver such items (e.g. an ice runway in West Antarctica and/or surface tractor-trains) could be shared with other projects operating in this sector of Antarctica.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The project will prove whether unique microbial life exists in subglacial lake environments. If successful, it will lead to future (potentially more sophisticated) research in Lake Ellsworth and other subglacial lakes. The technology designed for lake access, measurement and sampling could be used for future research.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
Own national polar operator
Another national polar operator
Commercial operator

Advice from the British Antarctic Survey indicates that it can provide logistical support, but that it may not be available in the IPY timeframe. Consequently, an internationally-coordinated logistics programme, possibly involving commercial operators, may be required.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
This project is an endorsed element of the SALE-UNITED IPY proposal, and SALE (Subglacial Antarctic Lake Environments), which is a full international scientific research programme of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR).

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
New

This project is new and autonomous project. However, it benefits greatly from its endorsement in the SALE-UNITED proposal, and also in the numerous existing programmes from which instruments and background information will be provided.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be managed by the Lake Ellsworth committee, chaired by Martin Siegert, who will liaise with SALE-UNITED. The committee met twice in 2004 and will meet for a third time on 8th March 2005 (agenda and minutes are available from www.ggy.bris.ac.uk/ellsworth). The project is organised into five elements, with named leaders and completion dates as follows: (1) Geophysical survey (Martin Siegert, 2006-7); (2) Instrument development (John Parnell, Mark Sims, 2007-8); (3) Probe development (Matt Mowlem, 2007-8); (4) Drill development and Lake exploration (Keith Makinson, 2008-9); (5) Post-fieldwork laboratory analysis (David Pearce, Martyn Tranter, Mike Bentley, 2009).

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
A high level of public interest in the project has already been shown (see www.ggy.bris.ac.uk/ellsworth). Endemol, a TV production company, is interested in ‘live’ broadcasting of the fieldwork, and making a documentary (with an accompanying educational CD ROM). Press releases and ‘outreach’ will be coordinated with the SALE-UNITED umbrella programme.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Data will be managed by the project leaders. Raw data (e.g. samples and measurements), which are likely to have a significant scientific value, will be made available to the international community via the project’s links to SALE-UNITED. Data storage and archiving will also be undertaken in conjunction with SALE-UNITED.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
A UK-NERC Antarctic Funding Initiative bid has been submitted to conduct the geophysical survey. Following endorsement of the project by IPY, a UK cross-council ‘consortium bid’ will be submitted to build equipment and undertake fieldwork. Similar applications may be submitted by international partners, the coordination of which can take place within the SCAR-SALE umbrella project.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
The establishment of equipment necessary for subglacial lake exploration in West Antarctica makes it possible to conduct similar research in other places. For example, Andrew Smith (British Antarctic Survey) has plans to drill to the ice sheet base south of the Antarctic Peninsula. In addition, it may also be possible to use the equipment designed for Lake Ellsworth in other subglacial lakes. Consequently, given the effort needed to assemble the logistics for entry to Lake Ellsworth, and that the experiment will last less than two weeks, it may be cost-effective to deploy the equipment elsewhere during IPY.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Prof Martin Siegert
Bristol Glaciology Centre
School of Geographical Sciences
University of Bristol
BS8 1SS
UK

Tel: +44 (0)117 928 8902
Mobile: +44 (0)7780 703008
Fax: +44 (0)117 928 7878
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation