Drilling For Magma

Makarand writes "In an effort to better understand volcanic eruption patterns researchers in Japan are planning undertake the world's first volcano drilling experiment to get samples of magma according to this Japan Times online article. They plan to drill 1700 meters deep to penetrate a volcanic vent. The drilling operation will use muddy water as a coolant which will also help prevent volcanic gas and other substances from spewing out. They will start in late January and are expected to extract a sample about 200 meters long and 15 cm in diameter by summer. Studying such samples is expected to reveal secrets not possible with studies conducted from above ground and mere observation of rocks around the volcanic vent."

Comments

Re:Darwin Award

[MrIcee]

Since I live on an active volcano in Hawaii, I'll add my 2 cents to this (especially since we spend much timie playing in the lava fields, cooking chicken in lava, etc).

When they dropped the geothermal wells here on the big island almost all of the attempts were met with destroyed drilling rigs - mainly due to excessive heat.

It doesn't make sense that they're going to actually drill into the 2000 degree stuff, unless they have some really really really temperature proof drill bits.

However, it is true that just because the lava is 2000+ degrees (F) that it will not *instantly* melt the cold rock it touches. We can (with special kevlar/spun glass gloves) actually pick up liquid flow - it picks up like taffy and will lift off the cold ground. However, lava in a tube, where it is constantly flowing, does eventually melt the surrounding rock - and can be a cause of lava tubes widening once they're created - but that requries constant contact to liquid magma over time.

Re:can anyone explain?

[some guy I know]

Not everything in the sections gets to the front page.
All turning Science on does is present the sidebar in the right-hand column, which will point you to recent science articles.
You can also click on the Science link in the left-hand column (Under "Sections"), which will take you to a page formatted like the front page (with article summaries), but which contains only science articles.

Drilling mud

[Tideflats]

The journalist evidently thought drilling mud (which he seems to have understood was "muddy water") is a novelty. It is not. It is a slurry of various components in various recipes, designed to cool and lubricate the bit and hold the hole open, to which end it is usually designed to have a high specific gravity. It is pumped down the hollow drill stem, and through the doughnut-shaped bit, to flow up the outside of the stem (lubricating it, as well) to the surface, and in to a mud tank, from which it is recycled. The drill cuttings it carries may be examined and saved as part of the drill-hole record.