Study of melting ice using infrared laser for ice sheet drilling

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K13605
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Geochemistry/Cosmochemistry
• Research Institution: Public Works Research Institute (2016); National Institute of Polar Research (2015)
• Principal Investigator: Sakurai Toshimitsu 国立研究開発法人土木研究所, 土木研究所(寒地土木研究所), 研究員(移行) (00581810)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): MOTOYAMA Hideaki 国立極地研究所, 気水圏研究グループ, 教授 (20210099) ; FUJITA Masayuki レーザー技術総合研究所, レーザープロセス研究チーム, 主席研究員 (30260178) ; TOKITA Shigeki 大阪大学, レーザー科学研究所, 講師 (20456825)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 氷 / 雪 / 融解 / レーザー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We measured melting speed of ice using infrared laser to propose the ice sheet laser drilling system for continuous analysis of the past climate changes. In this study using CO2 laser to melt ice, we found that the ice melting speed is 0.8mm/s for ice, and 4mm/s for snow (153kg/m3). We also propose that the fiber coupled laser is preferred to drilling ice sheet and the fiber should be high transmittance rate. In further study, we need to optimize the laser drilling system including the development of laser source itself.

Free Research Field

雪氷物理、レーザー技術