Russian scientists reach buried Antarctic Lake Vostok

Originally posted by HeywoodFloyd
I wonder what is the TRUE cause of the magnetic anomaly at Lake Vostok,

It's a very ancient tectonic boundary

rockbox.rutgers.edu:16080...

Of interest to specialist geologists but for the rest of us as exciting as a small ripple in the sand on a very big beach found just as the tide is retreating. On a Wednesday in 1994.

The researchers are not lost, nor is there evidence that anything sinister is afoot at Vostok Station, contrary to reports from other news outlets that suggest the scientists are in danger or missing.

link www.msnbc.msn.com...

Although there is a decent chance the team can breach Lake Vostok this season, time is running short. Temperatures have already dropped below minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 40 degrees Celsius) at Vostok Station, and the team must leave before conditions get so cold that aircraft can't operate, Priscu said — the first week of February at the very latest.

Even if they do succeed, researchers won't be able to get their hands on samples of lake water until next austral summer, in late 2012, because of the type of drill they're using.

Looks like we will still have to wait awhile, and thats if they do release everything they find

although the Russians were the first to begin drilling to a hidden Antarctic lake, they may not be the first to sample one. Teams from the United States and the United Kingdom are nipping at their heels, poised to begin drilling with specially designed equipment as early as fall 2012. However, scientists from U.S. and British projects say it is not a race, and there is enormous scientific value in all three projects.

maybe they are bluffing, and they didnt reach the lake.........it reminds me of the space race to be the first nation to land man on the moon.

reply to post by Essan


I respect your opinion, but I totally disagree with you.
I am not interested in arguing.

Everyone can do his/her own research and make his/her own opinion.

reply to post by dadfortruth1

maybe they are bluffing, and they didnt reach the lake.........it reminds me of the space race.

yeah and are now building sloppy sceneries to fake the whole thing....nah

Originally posted by 0bserver1
reply to post by dadfortruth1

 

maybe they are bluffing, and they didnt reach the lake.........it reminds me of the space race.

yeah and are now building sloppy sceneries to fake the whole thing....nah

yeah I dont think so either, It just reminds me of the race to the moon.

does any one know if these scientist have a blog or somthing similar, with first hand up to date reports?

Glaciers are nature's bulldozers, over time wiping away any traces of civilisation. Northern Europe will face this in 10-20 thousand years time when the ice age returns wiping away all traces of great nations in northern europe. This is inevitable. However, if Vostok is an enduring natural depression with water that stayed liquid, there is a chance that remnants of God knows what may have endured down there from a time when Antarctica was connected to Australia. What do they plan to do, now that they have the hole?

reply to post by dadfortruth1


From that same aritcle:

"Both the British and American teams are using hot-water drills which can reach their targets in mere days, and have the ability to retrieve liquid samples, which can be brought back to the surface within 24 hours. "

"As things stand now, it appears that British researchers will likely be the first to put a sample of ancient, buried lake water under a microscope."

"Engineers with the British Antarctic Survey recently hauled nearly all of the necessary drilling equipment — roughly 70 tons' worth — to the site of Lake Ellsworth, a lake buried 2 miles (3 km) beneath the ice in West Antarctica, and are poised to begin drilling at the start of the next Antarctic field season."

Something doesn't seem right here. We have the International Space Station - why is this a race? Why risk dumping fuel into the lake rather than wait a few months? Do they think the discovery is going to be that important?

Why are all these countries spending money doing this research. My instinct tells me the lake already has been tested and something really important found - now everyone wants a look.

Originally posted by Daughter2
reply to post by dadfortruth1

 

"Both the British and American teams are using hot-water drills which can reach their targets in mere days, and have the ability to retrieve liquid samples, which can be brought back to the surface within 24 hours. "

Something doesn't seem right here. We have the International Space Station - why is this a race? Why risk dumping fuel into the lake rather than wait a few months? Do they think the discovery is going to be that important?

Why are all these countries spending money doing this research. My instinct tells me the lake already has been tested and something really important found - now everyone wants a look.

Exactly !!
They know something VERY important is there.

But you can bet we shall NEVER know the truth.

reply to post by AGWskeptic


Its already known that Antartica once supported plant and animal life. In fact, during the Cretaceous period the Polar circle was at Victoria in Australia making it the coldest place on Earth in that time, yet even there, dinosaurs like Hypsilophodon's and Australovenator could survive.
Secondly, I would like to know what the Russians are doing on Australian Antarctic Territory, if they don't have permission than this is a serious violation. Australia should shut Lake Vostok down.

reply to post by HeywoodFloyd

Did I write “impact” ?

No, I didn't.
I wrote “something of cosmic origin”.
I refer to a strong electromagnetic interference by a cosmic “something”.
Could be a cosmic body passing nearby (nearby could mean between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars), could be a higly charged wave coming from the center of the Galaxy, or anything else.

I can post the clues and sources, but this would be off-topic in this thread.

Suffice to say this:

1.- Mammoths were found buried in ice, in Siberia, having in their stomach frozen vegetables. Those vegetables grow only in temperate to tropical climates.
Those vegetables were not digested, and were so perfectly frozen, that they could be eaten when they found them, just like frozen vegetables you buy in your store.
This means that the outside temperature in that part of Siberia suddenly went from +25°C / +30°C down to -20°C or colder, just in a matter of 2 or 3 hours (before digestion).
Such an event can be explained only by a sudden shift of the Earth rotation axis.

2.- There was an Extinction Level Event about 12,000 years ago, which caused many species to become extinct. This is well documented too.

3.- There is a high level of Iridium and of an isotope of Berillium, which are both very rare on Earth while common in space, found in layers dating 12,000 years ago.

4.- Look and study the rotation axis of Planet Uranus.
This will tell you something.

There are many more clues about such a catastrophic event in that time, and other members can highlight them, but I prefer not to make it too long here, as this thread is dedicated just to Lake Vostok.

None of that would get the earth axis off. That is my point, what you originally said.

I know all about the changing climates, mammals that couldn't adapt, it doesn't mean it happened all at once, and was far from an ELE. Animals could have been killed with full stomachs and just saying vegetables is not very specific.

reply to post by Jace26


I just looked up "who owns Antarctica" and found this

In the early decades of the 20th century seven nations, Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, Great Britain, New Zealand, and Norway announced territorial claims to parts of Antarctica. In 1961 the Antarctic Treaty was signed by these nations and others and these territorial claims put aside in the interests of international cooperation in scientific research.

Systematic exploration and scientific investigation of Antarctica properly began with the International Geophysical Year (IGY). July 1st 1957 to December 31st 1958. 35 scientific stations were established on the Antarctic continent with another 15 on sub Antarctic islands by 12 different nations during the IGY.

The IGY was such a success that the benefits of international co-operation seemed well worth continuing. The IGY was therefore followed by a year of International Geophysical Cooperation when the 12 nations (Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, USA, USSR and the United Kingdom) decided to continue their research. Representatives of the 12 nations met in Washington, D.C. in 1959 to draft and sign the Antarctic Treaty. This agreement dedicated the entire continent to peaceful scientific investigation. It came into effect in 1961 and all territorial claims were suspended. In 1991, 24 nations approved a protocol (addition) to the treaty that would ban oil and other mineral exploration for at least 50 years.

The answer to "Who owns Antarctica" is "no-one and everyone".

reply to post by CaptGizmo


How much science is done these days strictly for the sake of knowledge? Perhaps the Russians are better at this than the Western nations where all research is done for military contracts or for-profit ventures.
No doubt many interesting discoveries will be made regarding the Earth's history and isolated ecotones though, you're right about that.
I can't help but wonder where the profit motive is in this exploration.

reply to post by PhoenixOD


No you are wrong, Australia still maintains its sovereignty over the Australian Antarctic Territory, however, many other nations do not recognize this or other countries claims to the continent. Australia has kept control of the territory since 1933, and although international research teams go exploring there, it is still the legal territory of Australia. No other countries can just walk in and start mining, or go exploring without Australian permission.
This is one of the reasons why tensions between Australia and Japan are rising, since Japanese whalers continue to violate Australian waters in the Antarctic region.
To answer your question, yes, Australia does own a considerable large chunk of the continent and its not changing any time soon.

reply to post by Jace26


I see what you are saying but it seems like this is a massive grey area if countries are not recognizing each others 'claims'

Australia is among seven nations that have claimed territory in Antarctica. These claims are based on discovery and effective occupation of the claimed area, and are legal according to each nation's laws. Three countries – the United Kingdom, Chile and Argentina – have overlapping claims in the Antarctic.

Some countries explicitly recognise these claims; some have a policy of not recognising any claims in Antarctica, and others reserve the right to make a claim of their own.

The IGY was an outstanding success and led to huge advances in the scientific understanding of Antarctica. Its success led the 12 participating nations to agree that peaceful scientific cooperation in the Antarctic should continue indefinitely.

The Antarctic Treaty, eventually signed by many more countries, agreed to set aside Antarctica as scientific reserve, and suspended all future territorial claims in order to focus on research.

The Antarctic Treaty puts aside the potential for conflict over sovereignty by providing that nothing that occurs while the Treaty is in force will enhance or diminish territorial claims. Member states cannot make any new claims while the Treaty is in force.

Through this agreement, the countries active in Antarctica meet every year to discuss issues as diverse as scientific cooperation, measures to protect the environment and operational issues. They are are committed to taking decisions by consensus, and have all made the commitment that Antarctica should not become the scene or object of international discord.

I think its interesting that United Kingdom, Chile and Argentina have over lapping claim and all three countries are involved in tensions over the Falkland islands at the moment. Its also interesting to see some of it is unclaimed, i thought that every part of the planet was owned by someone.

Hey guys, Im kind of new to this website so please bare with me...

Can someone PLEASE give me some information on this "metallic object" everyone keeps bringing up thats supposedly on the bottom of Lake Vostok??

Originally posted by BIGPoJo
reply to post by PhoenixOD

 

WOW, no mention of the reason for the radio silence? This raises a huge BS flag for me. I want to know what their excuse is.

Also it was just plain silly for them to say in the article "they were never in any danger BECAUSE they are capable scientists" Another capable scientist disappeared near the station in 2000.

reply to post by PhoenixOD


Yes there is a large area of Antarctica that is unclaimed, however, the current Antarctic treaty says no new claim may be made while the current treaty is in force. Australia most definitely has a legal claim over the continent as do many other southern hemisphere nations. However, the Northern hemisphere nations, such as America, Europe, Asia, etc. Are all intent on making their own.
Australia is very close to Antarctica more so than most other nations so without a doubt we deserve a large portion of it. I think your just an American trying to tell us we have no legal claim, well here's a tip for you, stop sticking your noses in other countries business.

reply to post by PhoenixOD


This is indeed really exciting, but from the sounds of it the risk of them contaminating the lake is very high. To stop the hole from freezing they filled it with tonnes and tonnes (literally tonnes btw not using that as a figure of speech) of oil and then they realised the lake was there and they since haven't taken care of this. It takes only a small amount of oil to contaminate a large area so just a small amount of the many tonnes of oil in the lake could be an awful disaster. That's just one way that it could be contaminated, there are all sorts of issues like the water coming up the hole once breached etc.

I'm sure they are being careful, I just hope that they are patient enough in tis final stage to take their time rather than rush to discover as much as possible.

reply to post by Jace26


lol..chill. Im from the UK

I have 2 key questions to all of you on this thread:


1.- Which is the heat source that warms Lake Vostok up to 68°F ?

2.- What is the “thing” that generates the magnetic anomaly at Lake Vostok?


Please give your own personal takes.

Smart ideas and “Out of the Box” thinking will be much appreciated. Thanks.