A simple sampler for subglacial water bodies

Subglacial waters and water bodies have received increased attention as factors in ice dynamics (Clarke, 2005), as sites of organic carbon processing under continental ice sheets during glacial intervals (Zeng, 2003; Skidmore and others, 2005), and as microbial habitats analogous to environments on Mars and some icy satellites in the outer solar system (Gaidos and others, 2004). We have designed, constructed and tested a novel device to retrieve subglacial water samples. The sampler is designed to operate in the narrow boreholes made by thermal or conventional drilling, and to retrieve a watertight and gas-tight sample from a specified water depth above the bottom of the hole or glacier bed. The device operates without electrical power, sensors, or communication with the surface, and is ideal for environments where robust but low-complexity solutions to sampling are required.