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ins.: 2026-01-05 01:00, 7 days ago
By: Scientists
Category: SWAIS2C

SWAIS2C: 2026-01-05

We have successfully drilled 200 metres of sediment core
The day-shift team with the sediment core that took us over 200m. Photos: Ana Tovey / SWAIS2C

We have successfully drilled 200 metres of sediment core from beneath the ice sheet at Crary Ice Rise, reaching our target depth! This massive achievement is three seasons in the making, and many more years in the lead-up to our team reaching the ice. It's the culmination of the hard work of our large team of scientists, drillers, engineers and Antarctic logistics specialists. We’re excited about the science to come, and the insights about the past and future of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet waiting in the core, but for now we want to celebrate our drill team for delivering this technological feat. The pipe is still spinning - with a bit of time in the field up our sleeve, we’re not stopping drilling quite yet, as we continue to drill back through the geological archive hidden beneath the ice.

Depth drilled end of day shift 207.42m