All Eyes on Lake Vostok...To Be Breached Today!!!

Someone's imagination?
Seriously...

Can't believe there hasn't been any news yet.

I'm getting impatient.

Anyways, here is a couple of cool links with some great info.
It's a little dated, but a very good read.

[link to www.earthinstitute.columbia.edu]

Interesting video of East Camp.

[link to www.nsf.gov]

Requires real player. Can anyone upload this to GLP?

Here is a link to the Vostok Ice Core Data.

If any of you can extrapolate anything from this data to laymen terms, that would be great.

[link to www.ncdc.noaa.gov]

Notice the headings referring to atmospheric gas concentrations:



Carbon Dioxide
Trapped gas bubbles record the history of atmospheric CO2 concentrations for over 400,000 years.

Methane
Trapped gas bubbles record the history of atmospheric Methane concentrations.

N2O
Trapped gas bubbles record the history of atmospheric N2O concentrations plus d15N and d18O.


Just one problem with presenting things with a bias. The growth of ice 'layers' is lead in depth with microoganisms which are initially aerobic and then superceded by anaerobic ones as 'resources' shift. The types of trapped gases are typical of products of microbial digestion.


On the other side, at the interface of the lake floor and methane hydrates lie the extremophiles.

Biogeochemical methane and sulfur cycling

Additionally, where there is significant microbial activity there is also corresponding biomass from die off.


Inferred can't match in situ:

However, the major limitations in sea ice microbiology are
associated with quantitative sampling and the lack of in situ or undisturbed obser-
vations. The sweep of new technologies in aquatic microbiology may even be
exacerbating the problem by making the latter problems easier to avoid, i.e.
scientific breakthroughs are possible with new analyses using traditional sampling
methods. Thus, knowledge has improved greatly in biodiversity, bulk chemical
properties and physiological potential, but remains limited for the microscale dis-
tribution of microbes, chemicals and ice surfaces, or for in situ rates of physiological
processes or ecological interactions. The `potential' rates, relationships and inter-
actions will remain suspect until they can be confirmed by in situ measurements or
experiments that adequately simulate sea ice environmental conditions.
[link to lit.gfax.ch]

Thanks for looking that over dude.

Biogeochemical methane and sulfur cycling

Additionally, where there is significant microbial activity there is also corresponding biomass from die off.

Does that equate to a prominence of methane gas and other gases above the lake? After looking at the maps, It shows all the gases underneath the lake, trapped under the bedrock, just as they they are in the Gulf of Mexico.

I caught this in your reply also.

atmospheric gas concentrations

And it shows microorganisms consuming abiotic hydrates -)
The biomass converts to hydrocarbons as well.

Very interesting.

My picture of everything is all life will have a bioluminescence, since it has only had darkness for eons.
They will be busy re-cataloging all the new species.

I can't wait for video, which I read they will try to accomplish via rov's.

If there is life, It will be a sight which we have never seen in the oceans or lakes before.

For those of you that don't understand how that relates to Jupiter's moon Europa, I won't bother trying to explain it.

I can't wait!

The problem i have comparing this to europa is europa isn't earth. Earth had evolved life and changed before this water was iced over, sure the stuff there has been isolated for a long long time but it is not the same as a completely different planetoid with 60 mile deep oceans orbiting a gas giant.

Until we go there and drill into those oceans and explore them we won't know obviously but I wouldn't compare it to any part of a habitable planet, especially given the changes in its geography.

When are we gonna find out what they find?

I completely agree with you.

What we do know now?
1.microbial life can exist where there is no sunlight.
2.the history of the development of our solar system.
3.That life can possibly exist in conditions that science never thought possible.
4.New species of life are found as science progresses.
5.Etc...

Europa is a key, not, THE KEY, but...

Science is starting to believe that most life evolved from comets and meteors slamming into the surface of the Earth.
If you believe that, then every other planet and moon has been slammed into also.

How do we know what is at Europa's core? It could have the same characteristics of our planet with a nickel/iron core. Possibly breading life under the surface of the ice.

Plain and simple...we will never know unless we look.
I for one am glad that they are going to try.

I sent a email today to the Russians in charge, still waiting on a response.

Newest news I could find... No drilling update though.
Waiting on response to an email I sent...holding my breath.

Visit the international delegation at the station. Vostok (Antarctica)
January 18 Vostok Station in agreement with Roshydromet and RAE team visited
Foreign guests who flew with the French-Italian station Concordia (Dome "C")
on an airplane Twin Otter. The group included: Frederic Paulsen (Sweden, the owner
international publishing houses Paulsen), Laurent Mayet (France, adviser to Mr.
Michel Rocard - a special ambassador for the polar regions of the European Department
Foreign Affairs), Christian de Marliave (France, the editor of the French branch
publishing house Paulsen), Mike McDowell (Austria, the polar explorer, a private
entrepreneur), Igor Petrenko (Russia, a specialist in atmospheric physics, wintering
Concordia station), Scan Hudson (UK) and three Canadian pilot. Mr.
Michel Rocard, also plans to visit the Vostok station, but was forced to abandon
from the flight due to health and remained at Concordia.
Guests arrived at the East at 16:20 local time and remained on station for 3 hours.
Most of the time they spent in the drilling complex 5G. Here he
tour of the drilling, glaciological laboratories and nival
Store ice core borehole 5G. During the visit the guests on her rig
carried out technological flight to increase super-deep borehole 5G-2. Guests
have witnessed the rise shells with conical drill bit designed for
drilling of wells. Guests were shown the process of primary processing cores
deep wells in the glaciological laboratory, including measurement
conductivity and rapid analysis of the structure.
The tour had many questions about the nature of the ice in the area
subglacial Lake Vostok and scientific importance of the forthcoming entry into the lake.
After visiting the boring guests was arranged a short tour of the station.
Before leaving to visit Concordia heartily thanked the staff for the station
their hospitality.
20/01/2012
Russian Antarctic Expedition
Press Service of the AARI

I'm sure they are just trying to time it right for the Chinese New Year Celebration of the Year of the Water Dragon!

More here.

Visit the international delegation at the station. Vostok (Antarctica)
January 18 Vostok Station in agreement with Roshydromet and RAE team visited
Foreign guests who flew with the French-Italian station Concordia (Dome "C")
on an airplane Twin Otter. The group included: Frederic Paulsen (Sweden, the owner
international publishing houses Paulsen), Laurent Mayet (France, adviser to Mr.
Michel Rocard - a special ambassador for the polar regions of the European Department
Foreign Affairs), Christian de Marliave (France, the editor of the French branch
publishing house Paulsen), Mike McDowell (Austria, the polar explorer, a private
entrepreneur), Igor Petrenko (Russia, a specialist in atmospheric physics, wintering
Concordia station), Scan Hudson (UK) and three Canadian pilot. Mr.
Michel Rocard, also plans to visit the Vostok station, but was forced to abandon
from the flight due to health and remained at Concordia.
Guests arrived at the East at 16:20 local time and remained on station for 3 hours.
Most of the time they spent in the drilling complex 5G. Here he
tour of the drilling, glaciological laboratories and nival
Store ice core borehole 5G. During the visit the guests on her rig
carried out technological flight to increase super-deep borehole 5G-2. Guests
have witnessed the rise shells with conical drill bit designed for
drilling of wells. Guests were shown the process of primary processing cores
deep wells in the glaciological laboratory, including measurement
conductivity and rapid analysis of the structure.
The tour had many questions about the nature of the ice in the area
subglacial Lake Vostok and scientific importance of the forthcoming entry into the lake.
After visiting the boring guests was arranged a short tour of the station.
Before leaving to visit Concordia heartily thanked the staff for the station
their hospitality.
20/01/2012
Russian Antarctic Expedition
Press Service of the AARI

Same story different date, sorry.

I agree the date of breach will be of significant importance.

If it's true, that means January 23 at 2:39 am EST.

Forgot the link:

[link to www.aari.aq]

Best info yet with updates!

Ok, I'm game what happens on January 23 @ 2:39?

I'm tired, lol

It's the chinese new year!

YaY, I'm so smart.

Off to bed, hope some new news tomorrow.

Peace, GLP.

Chinese New Year is based on a moon calendar. January 23 is the new moon and Chinese New Year's Day (beginning of the water dragon year).

Apparently the Astrological Chinese New Year doesn't actually take effect until Feb 4th, and then its:

Nope - January 23 2012

[link to www.123chinesenewyear.com]

The Chinese lunar calendar is said to be the longest chronological record in history, dating from 2600 BC.
snip
The Chinese New Year for the Gregorian year of 2012 falls on January 23.

"In China's time zone, the first day of the Water Dragon Year is February 4, 2012, because February 4th, 2012 is the first day of Tiger month and the Tiger month is the first month of the year in Chinese Fortune-Telling Calendar system.

In the Chinese Fortune-Telling calendar, the first day of the first month, Tiger month, is called "Start of Spring", which is when the sun enters the 315th degree on the tropical zodiac. In the China's time zone, the time of the Start of Spring is at Feb-04 18:23. So the first day of the Black Dragon year 2012 is on 04-Feb-12.

The Chinese New Year Day of 2012 is on January 23, 2012. It's 12 days early before the first day of the astrology calendar in 2012. There is a very common misconception that the astrology animal signs begin on the Chinese New Year day in many Internet sites. Actually, the Astrology animal signs begin from the Start of Spring, the first day of the astrological year. For example, if a baby was born after the Chinese New Year Day in January 2012, then its animal sign is the Rabbit, not Dragon, because the birthday is before the Start of Spring."

This link can be found on my thread re: Water Dragon

why did i fall for the derail?

Lets stay on topic please!

I hadn't heard of that Possum. Well, I'm quite sure they won't wait until February.

Maybe they are trying to time it to the CME coming in tomorrow. From the NASA site:

An earth-directed coronal mass ejection was associated with the solar flare. NASA's Space Weather Services estimates that it is traveling at over 630 miles per second and will reach Earth some time on Saturday, January 21, when strong geomagnetic storms are possible...

I wonder how much daylight they receive at this time of year? I checked the time and it is already the afternoon of the 21st at Lake Vostok.

Go post your bullshit somewhere else...Your posts have nothing to do with this thread.