K006-7374
Event
Event NameDry Valley Drilling Project| 1973-1974AbstractRoss Island DVDP 3: DVDP: Drilled to 381.10m with the DFA. Recovered permafrost volcanics and pyroclastic sediments. Hole is open for geophysical measurements. Casing is such that rod will be inserted in casing and drilling continued in February 1975 with the recovery of 63.5mm core. Hole was temporarily terminated to take advantage of helicopter operations and to drill at Lake Vanda. Diatoms and other microfossils were identified by Frank Morelli in the lower parts of the core.
Lake Vanda DVDP4: Drilled through 3m of lake ice| 68m of water| and terminated in basement at 85.75m below the surface. Available environmental monitoring finds little or no perturbation of the water coumn in Lake Vanda by the drilling operations. Two suits of micro fossils have been identified in the core by Howard Brady| marine microfossils in lower part of core| middle part of core barren and upper part contains lacustrine assemblage which is present in the present Lake Vanda.
Don Juan Pond DVDP5: Drilled to 3.35m| and encountered hydraulic head. Potential adverse environmental effects necessitated abandonment of the hole. Post-drilling environmental monitoring found no adverse effects to physical environment.
Lake Vida DVDP6: Drilled to 305.79m| and penetrated permafrost gneissic basement at 10.52m. Lower part of the hole consists of massive| non-foliated granite. Temperature measurements by Ed Decker suggest a depth to permafrost considerably deeper that maximum penetration. Hole is cased to the bottom| and filled with DFA to permit access for future geophysical probes.
Lake Fryxell DVDP7l: Drilled to 11.13m and encountered ‘dry’ permafrost sediments. Hole abandoned by caving of dry sand| and sub-surface engineering complications brought about by the use of calcium chloride. Potential adverse environmental effects caused by return of drilling fluid around casing rather than within the casing also dictated abandonment of the hole.
New Harbour DVDP 8 & DVDP9: DVDP 8 was drilled to 36.3m with calcium chloride and resulted in poor core recovery. This hole was deepened to 157.46 with DFA with 99% core recovery. Several beds with the macrofossil Adamussium colbecki were penetrated| and formanifera were identified. The sequence of rocks appears to be stratified sands and gravels of outwash origin overlying a diamicton (till?)| marine sediments| another diamicton| and a return to marine sediments at the bottom of the hole. The hole is cased to the bottom and filled with DFA. This hole will be deepened in September with the recovery of 36.5m core.
DVDP9 is and angle hole (5.5° off verticle) drilled with DFA to 38.34m to recover the upper part of DVDP8. Recovery was 99°.PersonnelSam TrevesMike MudreyFrank MorelliLocationsRoss IslandLake VandaDon Juan PondLake VidaLake FryxellNew HarbourGeolocation[1] Position[2] Position[3] PositionSeason1973-1974
Lake Vanda DVDP4: Drilled through 3m of lake ice| 68m of water| and terminated in basement at 85.75m below the surface. Available environmental monitoring finds little or no perturbation of the water coumn in Lake Vanda by the drilling operations. Two suits of micro fossils have been identified in the core by Howard Brady| marine microfossils in lower part of core| middle part of core barren and upper part contains lacustrine assemblage which is present in the present Lake Vanda.
Don Juan Pond DVDP5: Drilled to 3.35m| and encountered hydraulic head. Potential adverse environmental effects necessitated abandonment of the hole. Post-drilling environmental monitoring found no adverse effects to physical environment.
Lake Vida DVDP6: Drilled to 305.79m| and penetrated permafrost gneissic basement at 10.52m. Lower part of the hole consists of massive| non-foliated granite. Temperature measurements by Ed Decker suggest a depth to permafrost considerably deeper that maximum penetration. Hole is cased to the bottom| and filled with DFA to permit access for future geophysical probes.
Lake Fryxell DVDP7l: Drilled to 11.13m and encountered ‘dry’ permafrost sediments. Hole abandoned by caving of dry sand| and sub-surface engineering complications brought about by the use of calcium chloride. Potential adverse environmental effects caused by return of drilling fluid around casing rather than within the casing also dictated abandonment of the hole.
New Harbour DVDP 8 & DVDP9: DVDP 8 was drilled to 36.3m with calcium chloride and resulted in poor core recovery. This hole was deepened to 157.46 with DFA with 99% core recovery. Several beds with the macrofossil Adamussium colbecki were penetrated| and formanifera were identified. The sequence of rocks appears to be stratified sands and gravels of outwash origin overlying a diamicton (till?)| marine sediments| another diamicton| and a return to marine sediments at the bottom of the hole. The hole is cased to the bottom and filled with DFA. This hole will be deepened in September with the recovery of 36.5m core.
DVDP9 is and angle hole (5.5° off verticle) drilled with DFA to 38.34m to recover the upper part of DVDP8. Recovery was 99°.PersonnelSam TrevesMike MudreyFrank MorelliLocationsRoss IslandLake VandaDon Juan PondLake VidaLake FryxellNew HarbourGeolocation[1] Position[2] Position[3] PositionSeason1973-1974
Linked To
K006-7374. Antarctica NZ, accessed 22/06/2025, https://adam.antarcticanz.govt.nz/nodes/view/38352