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Russian scientists reach isolated subglacial lake
February 06, 2012

Scientific research drilling in the area started in 1989 Scientific research drilling in the area started in 1989
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Russian researchers said Monday that they had succeeded in drilling through four kilometres (2.5 miles) of ice to the surface of a sub-glacial Antarctic lake which could yield important scientific discoveries.

Lake Vostok is the largest subglacial lake in Antarctica and scientists want to study its eco-system which has been isolated for hundreds of thousands of years under the ice in the hope of finding previously unknown microbiological life forms.

"Our scientists completed drilling at a depth of 3,768 metres and reached the surface of the sub-glacial lake," an unnamed source told Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

Sergei Lesenkov, spokesman for the Arctic and Antarctic Scientific Research Institute, told AFP that there was the possibility of a "fundamental scientific development".

Lesenkov said that analysis of the composition of gas bubbles discovered in the ice above the lake could help climate change research.

"Because the lower layer was formed 400,000 years ago, from the composition of the gas it is possible to judge the gas composition in the atmosphere 400,000 years ago and during the time that has passed since the formation of the lake," he said.

"From there, it is possible to identify and forecast certain climatic changes in the future. This is very important."

Scientific research drilling in the area started in 1989 and the lake's existence was confirmed in 1996. But efforts to reach its surface were suspended two years later amid fears that the process could contaminate the waters.

After developing new techniques in an attempt to ease environmental concerns, attempts to drill down through the deep ice sheet to the lake's surface resumed.

The Russian researchers intend to start drilling again and obtain water samples from the lake for analysis in December after a ten-month break due to harsh weather conditions.

AFP