A Chinese scientific expedition is preparing to conduct drilling operations in a subglacial lake that has been hidden beneath Antarctic ice for approximately 3 million years. Jiang Su, a researcher at the China Polar Research Institute, announced on Tuesday that the Qilin Subglacial Lake, named by China in 2022, is situated in Princess Elizabeth Land within East Antarctica. This lake, located 120 kilometers from China’s Taishan station, is approximately 3,600 meters deep within the ice sheet.
China has commenced initial preparations for scientific drilling in the subglacial lake. As part of the ongoing 40th Antarctic exploration mission, members of the expedition team have ventured into the lake area for the first time to assess potential drilling sites. Jiang Su highlighted that Qilin Lake ranks as the second largest subglacial lake discovered in Antarctica and has been isolated from the external environment for at least 3 million years, rendering it an ideal location for exploring subglacial lakes and potential subglacial life forms.
Although an exact date for the drilling operation was not provided by the researcher, it’s emphasized that scientific drilling serves as the sole method for obtaining physical samples from subglacial lakes. Notably, countries like the US, UK, and Russia have previously conducted drilling operations and gathered samples from three other subglacial lakes in Antarctica since 2012.