Working in Antarctica is never easy. The weather is brutal, the ice under your feet is unsteady at best, and even getting to a desired location can seem at times impossible.

The fact is, however, that when studying glaciers, this is the place you have to be.

One of those glaciers known as Thwaites Glacier is located in West Antarctica, and it is considered one of the most significant masses of ice on the planet. So important, in fact, that it is commonly called the Doomsday Glacier because if it were to melt completely, it would cause devastation around the globe.

As with most glaciers, this one grows and shrinks each year with the changings of the seasons, but where the biggest mystery exists is well below the surface of the ocean. Warm water under the glacier seems to be melting it from below, and unlike the surface that would (at least in part) refreeze during the winter, the melting below is more long lasting.

So, researchers from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and the Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI) have been working on a way to deploy instruments under the glacier to try to learn more about what is happening. To do this, they need to drill a borehole into the glacier.

This is easier said than done because the ice is constantly shifting (up to 9 meters (30 feet) per day), and as you drill into the ice, it begins refreezing almost immediately.

The team uses a drill that uses water that has been heated to 80°C (176°F) in order to bore deep into the glacier. On this most recent attempt, they were able to go down about 1000 meters (3300 feet) into the glacier.

They then put a camera into the hole, revealing incredible layers to the glacier as well as beautiful caves within the glacier. You can see the video here:

Unfortunately, the team was not able to complete the drilling and place the instruments due to worsening weather and other issues in the region. This is already their second attempt, but they are planning on coming back and trying again.

In a statement on the effort, Professor Won Sang Lee, a principal research scientist at KOPRI, said:

“This is not the end. The data show that this is exactly the right place to study, despite the challenges. What we have learned here strengthens the case for returning.”

Peter Davis, a BAS oceanographer who is on the drill team added:

“Failure is always an option when you are pushing at the limits of scientific exploration. We know heat beneath Thwaites Glacier is driving ice loss. These observations are an important step forward, even though we are disappointed the full deployment could not be achieved.”

When the next attempt will be made has not yet been determined, but the team understands the importance of learning exactly what is happening deep in this massive glacier.

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