Institute of Seismology and Volcanology, Faculty of Sciences, Kyushu University/Department of Polar Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies/Aero Asahi Corporation/Aero Asahi Corporation/Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kagoshima University/Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Education, Aichi University of Education/Institute of Seismology and Volcanology, Graduate School of Science, Hokkaido University/Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Graduate School of Sciences, Kyushu University/National Institute of Polar Research
We have developed an Antarctic penetrator that is applicable to seismic explosion experiments along a difficult traverse route on a continental ice sheet with crevasses. In the 43rd Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE-43, 2001-2002) seismic explosion experiments on the Mizuho Plateau, in East Antarctica, we equipped 22 penetrators for seismic observation. However, due to electrical trouble, we could not apply the penetrators to actual observation. Then, we carried out a running test of the penetrators and acquired much valuable data that cannot be obtained in the domestic environment in Japan, such as the declination angle of a body intruding into the Antarctic ice sheet, impact shock, and daily change of temperature of the body in the snow. These data are not only useful for development of the Antarctic penetrator, but also for development of touchdown-type physical observation equipment for use in Antarctica.