Iceberg A-68

Iceberg A-68 on July 20, 2017

Iceberg A-68 calved from the Larsen C Ice Shelf in July 2017.[1][2][3] With a surface area of 5,800 square kilometres, twice the size of Luxembourg and weighing one trillion tonnes,[4] it is one of the largest recorded icebergs, the largest being B-15 which measured 11,000 square kilometres before breaking up. Its calving reduced the overall size of the Larsen C shelf by 12 percent.[4]

There is no projected path at this point; however, historical data shows many icebergs broken off from the Antarctic Peninsula reach the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.[5]

The name "A-68" was assigned by the US National Ice Center.

History and recent developments

A-68 was part of Larsen C, a section of the Larsen Ice Shelf. The scientific community is currently divided whether the calving is the result of climate change, or merely a natural occurrence.[6] Scientists found the crack beginning to form in November 2016, and others suggested that it might have broken off as early as a decade ago. According to scientists observing the iceberg's path, A-68 "didn't just break through in one clean shot, [but] it formed a lace-network of cracks first."[4]

Satellite images from ESA and the European Union's Copernicus Program show that the iceberg is splintering, forming more icebergs in the process.[7]

Scientists are currently looking into the possibility of the ice shelf collapsing as a result of the split with A-68, or whether the iceberg was the "cork" for Larsen C that could allow ice to flow more freely into the sea, thereby contributing to rising sea water levels.[8]

References

  1. ↑ "Larsen C calves trillion ton iceberg". Project MIDAS. 12 July 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  2. ↑ "Giant iceberg splits from Antarctic". BBC. 12 July 2017.
  3. ↑ "Massive iceberg breaks away from Antarctica". CNN. 12 July 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 Davis, Nicola (2017-08-02). "What happened next to the giant Larsen C iceberg?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-08-02.
  5. ↑ Mosher, Dave (12 July 2017). "Where Antarctic iceberg from Larsen C shelf might go in Southern Ocean". Business Insider. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  6. ↑ Luckman, Adrian. "I've studied Larsen C and its giant iceberg for years – it's not a simple story of climate change". The Conversation. Retrieved 2017-08-02.
  7. ↑ Dvorsky, George. "Antarctica's Massive Iceberg Is Starting to Disintegrate". Gizmodo. Retrieved 2017-08-02.
  8. ↑ Becker, Rachel (2017-08-02). "Cracks are still spreading where that massive Antarctic iceberg broke free". The Verge. Retrieved 2017-08-02.
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