On November 24, the world's largest iceberg broke away from Antarctica and is on track to move for the first time in more than three decades.
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| An iceberg near Fournier Bay, Antarctica, on February 3, 2020. (Source: businesslive) |
At nearly 4,000 square kilometers, the Antarctic iceberg, called A23-a, is three times the size of New York City. As it accelerates, the giant iceberg could drift rapidly into the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, meaning it will head toward the Southern Ocean, where many other large icebergs are free-floating.
Since breaking away from the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf in West Antarctica in 1986, the iceberg has been largely trapped at the bottom of the Weddell Sea. However, over time, A23-a has managed to break free. Recent satellite images show the roughly 1 trillion-ton iceberg drifting rapidly across the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, pushed by strong winds and currents.
According to British researcher Oliver Marsh, who works at the Antarctic Survey, it is very rare for an iceberg of this size to move, so scientists will closely monitor A23-a's trajectory.
“Over time, the iceberg’s weight may have decreased slightly, allowing it to rise above the ocean floor and be carried by currents. A23a is also one of the oldest icebergs in the world,” said Marsh. Marsh said the possibility of A23a moving towards South Georgia would cause problems for Antarctic wildlife. Millions of seals, penguins and seabirds that breed on the island and forage in the surrounding waters would be affected.
In 2020, another giant iceberg, dubbed A68, sparked fears that it would collide with South Georgia, crushing marine life and cutting off food sources. Fortunately, that disaster was ultimately averted when the iceberg broke into several small pieces. Scientists are hoping that the same will happen to A23a.
“An iceberg this large is likely to remain in the South Atlantic for quite some time, although the weather is much warmer and it could move further north towards South Africa,” Mr Marsh said. “We don’t yet know how big an impact this will have.”
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