Recent satellite images show the world's largest iceberg, A23a, weighing nearly a trillion tonnes, is currently drifting rapidly past the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, driven by strong winds and currents.
Satellite image of the world's largest iceberg A23a seen in Antarctica. Photo: Reuters
Since breaking away from the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf in West Antarctica in 1986, the iceberg – which was once a Soviet research station – has been stuck with its base stuck at the bottom of the Weddell Sea.
British Antarctic Survey glaciologist Oliver Marsh said it was rare to see an iceberg of this size moving, so scientists would be closely monitoring its trajectory.
If it continues to accelerate, the giant iceberg is likely to move into the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, which would carry it into the Southern Ocean on a path known as “iceberg alley,” where other icebergs are bobbing in the dark waters.
It is not yet clear what caused the iceberg to suddenly break away. “Over time, the iceberg may have thinned out a bit, allowing it to rise above the ocean floor and be carried by ocean currents,” Marsh said. A23a is also one of the world’s oldest icebergs.
Penguins stand on an iceberg. Photo: AP
It is possible that A23a will end up on South Georgia Island. This is the breeding and feeding ground for millions of seals, penguins and seabirds. If A23a collides with South Georgia, millions of these creatures will be prevented from breeding and feeding.
Earlier in 2020, another giant iceberg – A68 – raised concerns that it would collide with South Georgia, crushing sea life and cutting off food sources. However, that disaster was averted when A68 broke into many small pieces. The same fate could befall A23a.
An iceberg this size is likely to remain in the south Atlantic for quite some time, although with much warmer weather it could move further north towards South Africa. “We don’t know yet how big of an impact this will have,” Marsh said.
Hoai Phuong (according to SCMP, Reuters, CNN)
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