Victoria University Antarctic Research Expedition Science and Logistics Reports 1986-87: VUWAE 31
Programme
Programme
The operation was staged from a camp at Butter Point camp 70 km west of Scott Base on the Victoria Land coast, and followed closely the schedule set out in the drilling operations plan (Antarctic Division 1986). A party of 10 flew to the ice in late August to open the camp and set up the rig, which is 12 km offshore, on the 2 m thick annual ice. Drilling began on October 14, after the arrival of the main group of drillers and scientists (Table 1).
SCIENCE | DRILLING | DRILLERS |
---|---|---|
Peter Barrett (Coordinator) | Jack Hoffman (Coordinator) | Colin Weaver |
Alex Pyne (Manager) | Kevin Jenkins (Drilling Supervisor) | Stephen Pilcher |
Kevin Hall (Geologist) | Pat (Rat) Cooper (Assistant Supervisor) | John Marcussen |
Michael Hambrey (Geologist) | ||
Paul Robinson (Geologist) | ||
Hugh Rieck (Paleomagnetics) | CAMP SERVICES | OFF-SIDERS |
Hideki Wada (Geochemist) | ||
Jeff Ashby (Core processor) | Max Williams (Manager) | Stephen Brierly |
Ted Hardy (Core Processor) | Jeff westworth (Cook) | Geoff Brown |
Carey Mills (Core Processor) | Neville Steedman (Carpenter) | Gary Brown |
Bruce Morris (Core Processor) | E. J. Somerville (Mechanic) | Mervin McKinnon |
Vince Belgrave (Surveyor) | Ron Topping (Operator) | Kim Stevenson |
Paul White (Down hole logging) | Mike wing | |
Brian Davey (Geophysicist) | ||
Graham Alder (Geophysicist) |
The team of 30 worked 12 hour shifts for the next 2 months commuting each day between Butter Point and the drill site. Coring proceeded without interruption or mishap to a depth of 702 m below the sea floor, which was reached on November 16. The hole was terminated partly because it was approaching the manufacturer's stated limit of the rig's capability but also because mud loss had become high as a result of fractures encountered at 700 m.