ABSTRACT

This chapter provides a historical overview of access drilling technologies, some of the key science discoveries, the status of subglacial access work on ice shelves, ice sheets, and clean access technologies, as well as future aspirations for subglacial access. The scientific desire to access and investigate subglacial environments directly has given rise to numerous ice drilling techniques and technological advances. The experience gained from subglacial access programmes provides a much better understanding of how to access and sample these unique subglacial environments. The Whillans Ice Stream Subglacial Access Research Drilling programme from the United States was the third project attempting subglacial lake access in Antarctica. Building on the legacy of subglacial lake access research programmes, the ultimate goal is to develop clean hot water drill and other access technologies that routinely and rapidly drill deep and clean subglacial access holes in a safe, efficient, and predictable way.