The ice core from the 1 415 m Vostok bore hole has been studied. It was found that the ice-grain size increases with depth in the upper 700 m, a sharp gradient change occurring in the 300 to 400 m range. The grain cross-section area at depths of 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, and 700 m was 1.1, 2.0, 1.5, 1.9, 2.6, and 3.3 mm2 respectively. Since grain size is a function of age, and is determined by initial size and growth rate, the latter being exponentially related to ice temperature, an attempt was made to interpret the obtained data in terms of palaeoclimatology.

Calculations show that the upper part of the ice sheet (down to 300 m depth) formed during the past 12 ka, and grew under temperatures higher than those at which the lower part of the ice formed, that is ice at 300 to 700 m depth. This conclusion was confirmed by the results of oxygen isotope analysis.

The air content of ice at depths 100 to 650, 650 to 850, 850 to 1 100, and 1 100 to 1 400 m reduced to normal conditions was 65, 70, 75, and 70 mm3 g−1 respectively. Calculations suggest that 3 to 30 ka BP the ice-sheet elevation at Vostok station was close to the present one, while 30 to 40, 40 to 55, and 55 to 75 ka BP it was 500, 1 000, and 500 m lower than at present, respectively.