A multi-process drilling system (MPDS), comprising an air system and a drilling-fluid circulation system (DFCS) was developed in China for subglacial bedrock sampling. The air system and DFCS were highly integrated in 20 ft container for easy transportation and assembly. Both systems were tested in China and Antarctica. The experiences and lessons learned in designing and testing would be helpful to promote the development of subglacial bedrock drilling technology.

Multiple geologic hazards, such as landslides and earthquakes, arise when solids and fluids coexist and deform together. We designed an experimental apparatus that allows us to observe such deformation in 3D. The first results show how fluids and solids deform and break at the same time, allowing us to study the impact of both materials on deformation distribution and speed. Making these processes visible has the potential to improve risk assessments associated with geological hazards.

We describe a new drill for glaciers and ice sheets. Instead of drilling down into the ice, via mechanical action, our drill melts into the ice. Our goal is simply to pull a cable of temperature sensors on a one-way trip down to the ice–bed interface. Here, we describe the design and testing of our drill. Under laboratory conditions, our melt-tip drill has an efficiency of ∼ 35 % with a theoretical maximum penetration rate of ∼ 12 m h⁻¹. Under field conditions, our efficiency is just ∼ 15 %.