Russian scientists reach buried Antarctic Lake Vostok

reply to post by piotrburz

No, melting ice is an endothermic process, because ice's standard enthalpy of fusion is positive, which means IT NEEDS heat to melt.

But some say water temperature is at 68F 20C ? don't know if this is scientifically being stated?

reply to post by theukbloke

The new hole is made using water jets that seal the hole as it goes, there is a final cleaning routine just before breakthrough where the probe will sterilize itself. Nothing coming up to kill us all off.

Thats what they tell us,but do they all use this method?

I've been following the progress of this drilling for years, it's nice to see they made it this year before the winter means they need to stop. Can't wait to hear about what's down there, if it's doesn't become classified all of a sudden for some reason.

There's also talk of the nazi's drilling down there first, and the remains and secret files of Hitler could be down there/in the area. Any other ATS opinions on this?

Thanks for sharing the news PheonixOD!

Cheers,
Ben.

reply to post by BenTFH

There's also talk of the nazi's drilling down there first, and the remains and secret files of Hitler could be down there/in the area. Any other ATS opinions on this?

I don't know whats the truth behind that anymore, in my opinion this guy has been Drawn and Quartered to the four corners of the world...

Originally posted by 0bserver1
reply to post by piotrburz

 

No, melting ice is an endothermic process, because ice's standard enthalpy of fusion is positive, which means IT NEEDS heat to melt.

But some say water temperature is at 68F 20C ? don't know if this is scientifically being stated?

edit on 21/12/2010 by 0bserver1 because: (no reason given)

Have you ever heard of phase diagram? The ice on the top apply great pressure so melting point is lowered.
Also if we assume that the lake volume is constant and that it is a "closed system", we can perceive any process as an isochoric process. So by applying pressure, temperature have to rise.
Also there is geothermal heating that counts.
Check this:
en.wikipedia.org...

I am concerned over the rush for the Russian team to be first to penetrate the subglacial lake at Vostok. I have been following this story for several years. The main question has and continues to be environmental contamination of this pristine lake. Over the last 20 years, the team at Vostok has been drilling, and leaving the well bore filled with kerosene and other caustic liquids to keep the well head from freezing over during the Antarctic winters. Since there is no oversight or operational procedures down there who knows what kind of samples or conditions the drill site has rendered.
No one knows what technology was involved with the breakthrough. Hopefully they were able to obtain a sterile sample. It is curious that the team was out of contact for such a long time with the whole scientific world waiting to hear the results. I have read an early report that implied a catostrophic failure of the drilling rig, and contamination of the drilling site. Can any other members confirm?

Hopefully all is well..... and the team has shut down for winter.

reply to post by stringman


I share your concerns. Apparently they have over 60 tons of kerosene in that hole at the moment.

several times i have put beer in the fridge, sometimes i forgot about it, and the beer inside would still be liquid
but, when you open it up, it suddenly freezes the whole bottle of beer in 2-3 seconds

now my concern

what if this would happen to the water underneath the ice, it would freeze everything in an instant, icluding the live down there.... not a good idea this whole thing

reply to post by piotrburz


Not really, And I see why,... I can't even pinpoint lake vostok on that diagram,thats were my genius mind leaves the building....

The worst thing in this epic event is the overwhelming Silence

reply to post by pheniks


What have you described is supercooled liquid. But i think the possibility of such event is low.
Ice crust is constantly moving thus the water isn't still, as it is needed for supercooling.
But the water is very pure, surely without any dirt particles, so it might aid the supercooling process.

Originally posted by Arken

The worst thing in this epic event is the overwhelming Silence

edit on 7-2-2012 by Arken because: (no reason given)

Indeed Arken but the silence sometimes can be a very loud signal. This will be interesting, expecially if its the noncontainable type issue for the masses to oversee/ignore or miss..

[color=cyan]
Drill solution:

cut a square hole in the surface of the lake top about a 15'X15' square. Now start you go downward in a angle that will create a spiral somewhat descend. Descend in a square 15'X15' hole that will spiral down towards the lake. the overall diameter of the spiral from one side to the other may be about say 80'-100'. now you got a dig in a spiral type staircase fashion all the way to bottom. allowing for larger probes and tech to be sent down as well as allowing room for sterilization of equipment and personnel going in. Once they reach say 100' from the top of liquid lake they then begin to expand the room from a 15'X15' opening to a room about 100'X100' sitting ontop of 100' or more depending on equipment and structural strength of 100 ft ice sheet. now they have a lab sitting under ice sheet roughly 100'X100' on top of 100' of ice. I think from that point on they can begin to do better exploration with larger probes and possible human explorers willing to take the risk (I WOULD LET MANY LIGHT PROBES SWIM FIRST TO SEE WHAT IF ANYTHING ATTRACTS TO THE LIGHT BEFORE HUMAN TRYOUTS). So the end result is a larger lab facility beneath the ice 100ft away from the lake. down there they can also perform light exploration by cutting thru areas of lab to say 50 ft and using high power non warming lights in the area to see if anything attracts to the light source. I just feel anything down there if it senses or sees light will attract to it for some reason. I can see the microbe mixture floating or swimming thru the lake or lining the floor or walls of the lake also something interesting in the sediment. The lab would be amazing and would help prevent a potential situation related to the beer issue that another member stated. The lab would allow for safety implosion seal of the ice if there were deadly gasses or fumes or airborne detected. The lab again would allow for larger probes and larger probes = faster finds ect. -also take weapons just incase-So GOOD LUCK DOWN THERE TO THOSE SCIENTIST. I sometimes wonder what was around 20mill. years ago and what would live in sea cold conditions back then??? This is history and 1 hopes the good kind.

NAMASTE*******
LOVE LIGHT ETERNIA

reply to post by Ophiuchus 13


You describe the right way Ophiuchus, my friend.

However the curiosity is huge, and we must still wait for the news...

I hope that all goes right in that deep abyss.

The Lost World of Lake Vostok


A 49min. Documentary!

www.dailymotion.com...=embediframe

ETA: I see it has been posted here in the Thread already. Anyhow cool Docu.

Star to Navienko

reply to post by Hellas


I just watched the video posted by Navieko it is a good presentation...

reply to post by Arken


What's on your mind? I think they need time to evaluate things, why announce the end game and not sharing?, don't you think there will be scientist that leave the operation if there were disputants among them, But we will never know do we?

Originally posted by 0bserver1
But some say water temperature is at 68F 20C ? don't know if this is scientifically being stated?

edit on 21/12/2010 by 0bserver1 because: (no reason given)

Returning on this topic.
Where'd you get that information? I searched internet to find this info, but it seems to evade me.
Quote from wikipedia:

The average water temperature is calculated to be around −3 °C (27 °F);

en.wikipedia.org...
I know it's average temperature but surely a 23 degree celcius is a hell of a deviation.

Originally posted by Asktheanimals
I'm wondering how much of this is about science vs a giant reservoir of clean water.
At the current rate of pollution clean water may become more valuable than gold at some point.
Watching Fukushima that time may be closer than I'd like to believe.

Was thinking the same thing. I don't think they are interested in the scientific finds as mutch as they are about that huge body of super clean water. My old man told me about 10 years ago "If you think a war for a natural resource like oil is bad?... Just wait till people fight for something like water, it wont be pretty." Of course thats more common sense than anything.

I'm still very interested to hear what they find down there. Being fresh water leaves the options for big fish somewhat limited. Sturgen might be able to survive in those conditions, they did out live the dinosaurs after all. Most likely the only life in there is located by the thermal vents just like on the sea floor. If the food chain doesen't require sun light then chances are it starts at the vents with algae and/or some form fresh water plankton.

The naturalist side of me says this lake should have been left in it's pure state. Even if our intentions are genuine and it's not just about the super clean water. Sometimes humanity fails even with good intentions. Just the smallest slip up and this lake could be ruined forever.