Underground lake 20 million years old in Antarctic exploration and drilling has been attracting the attention of many scientists, and environmental historians.
The scientists had to work hard over the past 30 years to drill holes can be 3.7km thick ice in temperatures -80 degrees C. However this work will bring real value enormously if people discover just half the secrets it contains.
Antarctic expedition of the Russian Vostok lake reaches more than 30 years of service.
Earth's other life
Lake Vostok has been covered by ice and do not have an exchange move with the external environment for millions of years. That makes it very special environment that nowhere on Earth can be.
According to scientists Sergey Bulat, head of the Russian expedition working in Antarctica, they measure the oxygen content to be here from 10 to 20 times over other parts of the world. Therefore any living creature that is unique here on Earth.
But there is a place with living conditions similar to Lake Vostok and especially it's not on Earth, places are referred to as Jupiter's moon Europa.
Dr. Vladimir Kotlyakov, Director of Institute of geography Russian Academy of Sciences said that if the creatures found at the bottom of the tank, maybe this is the first meeting we had with the aliens living organisms, which namely Jupiter's moon Europa.
But all depends on how the Lake Vostok was formed millions of years ago. If born after the lake was ice-covered Antarctica and melted part of the heart are difficult to find a living creature. But otherwise, the lake was formed when Antarctica was still a land of warm, many interesting things promised to be discovered.
Diagram cross Antarctica from ice surface to the bottom of the lake Vostok.
There are currently no scientist has ever questioned whether under the thick ice and the other dark contain anything dangerous for humanity - a serious virus or even a prehistoric monster from commonly used in the films mentioned.
Valeriy Lukin scientist of the expedition of the Russian Antarctic reassure everyone that: "All the specimens being brought to the surface must go through a thorough testing process by using the appropriate radiation . "
"Story fox and grapes" with the West
It is known that in the beginning of the expedition, the Russian scientists have used in oil drilling technology as an anti-freeze method. In the past few years, drilling Freon cleaner technology is applied in revealing to the Vostok lake.
While other European countries use boiling water method of drilling in ice antifreeze. This ensures the purity of the drill, but the speed is reduced.
Jean Jouzel, a scientist at the French Institute of Atomic Energy (CEA) has said that it was not so when the Russians had set up on purpose national interest of the scientific community. He said Russia should uphold the scene of the lake until the non-polluting drilling technology was born.
In a different interview, Martin Siegert, scientists from the British expedition to comment on the achievements of Russian as follows: "This is a great achievement, but we fear that what take up research while the original will no longer have to go through a 2km thick layer of oil. "
As a non-governmental organizations on the environment of the West Ocean Coalition is named Souhthern their biggest mistake was in 2010 recognized the Russian technology is not adversely affecting the environment.
But according to Russian scientists since the technology used Freon in 2005, the risk of environmental pollution for Lake Vostok has been eliminated. The reason for this is because when using new technology, these chemicals can cause pollution has been pushed back onto the ice before you can contact with water.
The Hitler's secret base
In addition to the secrets of organisms and their environment in particular, this is where the historians of World War II period put many questions about the secret naval base of Hitler.
1943 Admiral Karl Dontiz told Hitler that "Germany's submarine fleet is proud to have created an impregnable base at the other end of the Earth."
There is even speculation about Hitler's body and his wife Eva Braun is being hidden here.
However, all estimates are needed to validate the evidence from the lake this mystery. But things will have to stop for a few months as currently summer in Antarctica near the end means lower temperatures and light will become scarce.
Expected that the robot will be able to swim the drop-down Russian scientists exploring the lake later this year.
20 million in secret under 4km thick ice
After more than 30 years of exploration drilling, eventually the Russian scientists have access to fresh water lake Vostok (ie "Oriental") located below 3768 m thick ice in the Antarctic last 5-2 days.
Eastern freshwater lakes in Antarctica is one of the most important discovery of modern geographical sectors. Freshwater ecosystems are unique independent existence millions of years compared to the environment and ecosystems on Earth, the lake is entirely separate from humans. The conditions of the lake is often described as "alien" to the proposal on the lake on the Jovian moon Europa.
Eastern Research Station in Antarctica Russian-Photo: physorg.com
Thus, the key question is whether it can harbor life or not? If the discovery of primitive bacteria or structures more complex life in the lake, most likely this will be the open door of the antiquity of our planet.
If this special ecosystem "boycott" all life, scientists also have the opportunity to test their hypotheses about the search for life in space.
The study of freshwater lakes is also a very important role to create maps of natural climate change for centuries to come.
The Russian scientists began drilling in scientific research station in Antarctica Orient in the 1970s in the average temperature of about -66 degrees C, even down to -82 degrees C on 21 - 7-1983.
In 1996, with the support of Britain, Russia discovers large freshwater lake in the world subject to this. In terms of area, it is equivalent to Lake Ontario in Canada.
In 1998, when scientists identified more ice to about 130 m is accessible lakes, drilling exploration work had to stop to find out the special technology that reduces pollution at the lowest level.
Section below describes Orient watch nearly 4 km thick ice-Photo: earth.columbia.edu
After the Academy of St-Petersburg Geological successfully made this technology in 2003, the Antarctic expedition of Russia resumed operations in 2005.
It is worth noting that scientists have located the lake is only 6 months before his death moments touch the surface of the lake.
