This book provides a comprehensive review of drilling technologies in the polar regions, from the portable drilling equipment for shallow sampling and coring, to heavy drilling equipment for deep onshore and offshore drilling. Particular attention is given to safe drilling methods in permafrost. In recent years, interest in drilling in the polar regions has increased under the pressure of the geopolitical “rush” and the undiscovered resource potential. In addition, borehole monitoring of permafrost thermal states is urgently needed to obtain evidence of climate change. The book focuses on the latest drilling technologies but also discusses the historical development of sampling, and drilling tools and devices, over the last 60–70 years providing valuable insights into a way forward and future possibilities.

Snow, firn, and ice are the most widespread cryogenic minerals on Earth’s surface. Their properties differ significantly from those of common minerals, and their excavation requires special approaches. The problems of mining and construction in snow and ice could be explained mostly by harsh climate conditions, logistics difficulties, environmental issues and snow-ice related challenges. The primary objective of this book is to list all feasible technologies for mining and construction in snow and ice, and to analyze these from the perspective of applications, problems, and hindrances.

Although mining and construction in snow and ice appears exotic, it is significantly common for the production of snow and ice as a source of freshwater and construction material; accessing subglacial ore; the investigation and sampling of near-surface layers; glacier geoengineering works; recovering of snow-buried objects; construction of subsurface shelters for living, working, and military facilities; observation and investigation of glacier beds; construction of sightseeing ice tunnels; and drainage of ice-dammed proglacial lakes.

This book provides a review of mechanical ice drillingtechnology, including the design, parameters, and performance of various toolsand drills for making holes in snow, firn and ice. The material presents the historicaldevelopment of ice drilling tools and devices from the first experience takenplace more than 170 years ago to the present day and focuses on the modernvision of ice drilling technology. It is illustrated with numerous pictures, many of them published for the first time. This book is intended for specialistsin ice core sciences, drilling engineers, glaciologists, and can be useful forhigh-school students and other readers who are very interested in engineeringand cold regions technology.

This book provides a review of thermal ice drilling technologies, including the design, parameters, and performance of various tools and drills for making holes in ice sheets, ice caps, mountain glaciers, ice shelves, and sea ice. In recent years, interest in thermal drilling technology has increased as a result of subglacial lake explorations and extraterrestrial investigations. The book focuses on the latest ice drilling technologies, but also discusses the historical development of ice drilling tools and devices over the last 100 years to offer valuable insights into what is possible and what not to do in the future. Featuring numerous figures and pictures, many of them published for the first time, it is intended for specialists working in ice-core sciences, polar oceanography, drilling engineers and glaciologists, and is also a useful reference for researchers and graduate students working in engineering and cold-regions technology.

This book provides a comprehensive review of drilling technologies in the polar regions, from the portable drilling equipment for shallow sampling and coring, to heavy drilling equipment for deep onshore and offshore drilling. Particular attention is given to safe drilling methods in permafrost. In recent years, interest in drilling in the polar regions has increased under the pressure of the geopolitical “rush” and the undiscovered resource potential. In addition, borehole monitoring of permafrost thermal states is urgently needed to obtain evidence of climate change. The book focuses on the latest drilling technologies but also discusses the historical development of sampling, and drilling tools and devices, over the last 60–70 years providing valuable insights into a way forward and future possibilities.

Snow, firn, and ice are the most widespread cryogenic minerals on Earth’s surface. Their properties differ significantly from those of common minerals, and their excavation requires special approaches. The problems of mining and construction in snow and ice could be explained mostly by harsh climate conditions, logistics difficulties, environmental issues and snow-ice related challenges. The primary objective of this book is to list all feasible technologies for mining and construction in snow and ice, and to analyze these from the perspective of applications, problems, and hindrances.

Although mining and construction in snow and ice appears exotic, it is significantly common for the production of snow and ice as a source of freshwater and construction material; accessing subglacial ore; the investigation and sampling of near-surface layers; glacier geoengineering works; recovering of snow-buried objects; construction of subsurface shelters for living, working, and military facilities; observation and investigation of glacier beds; construction of sightseeing ice tunnels; and drainage of ice-dammed proglacial lakes.

This book provides a review of mechanical ice drillingtechnology, including the design, parameters, and performance of various toolsand drills for making holes in snow, firn and ice. The material presents the historicaldevelopment of ice drilling tools and devices from the first experience takenplace more than 170 years ago to the present day and focuses on the modernvision of ice drilling technology. It is illustrated with numerous pictures, many of them published for the first time. This book is intended for specialistsin ice core sciences, drilling engineers, glaciologists, and can be useful forhigh-school students and other readers who are very interested in engineeringand cold regions technology.

This book provides a review of thermal ice drilling technologies, including the design, parameters, and performance of various tools and drills for making holes in ice sheets, ice caps, mountain glaciers, ice shelves, and sea ice. In recent years, interest in thermal drilling technology has increased as a result of subglacial lake explorations and extraterrestrial investigations. The book focuses on the latest ice drilling technologies, but also discusses the historical development of ice drilling tools and devices over the last 100 years to offer valuable insights into what is possible and what not to do in the future. Featuring numerous figures and pictures, many of them published for the first time, it is intended for specialists working in ice-core sciences, polar oceanography, drilling engineers and glaciologists, and is also a useful reference for researchers and graduate students working in engineering and cold-regions technology.