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The largest iceberg in the world is back on the move after decades of grounding on the seabed and recently turning on the spot, he says British Antarctic Survey (BAS).
Mega A23a iceberg has broken free from its position north of the South Orkney Islands and is now floating in the Southern Ocean, scientists said.
“It’s exciting to see the A23a running again after a period of being stuck. We are interested in whether they will follow the same path followed by other large icebergs that have broken off in Antarctica. And more importantly, what impact will it have on the local ecosystem,” said Dr. Andrew Meijers, oceanographer from BAS.
The icebergknown as A23a, diverged from Antarctica‘s Filchner Ice Shelf in 1986. But it stuck to the ocean floor and remained for many years in the Weddell Sea.
Scientists predict that A23a will continue its journey into the Southern Ocean following the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, which will likely take it towards the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia. In that region, they will encounter warmer water and are expected to break up into smaller icebergs and eventually melt.
The iceberg is about three times the size of New York and more than twice the size of the Great Londonarea of about 4,000 square kilometers (1,500 square meters).
Last year, a British polar research vessel crossed paths with A23a, a “lucky” encounter that allowed scientists to collect samples of the seawater around the colossal berg as it emerged from Antarctica waters.
RRS sir David Attenboroughwho was on his way to Antarctica on his first scientific mission, passed a mega iceberg near the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.
He started drifting in recent months and moved to Southern Oceanwith the help of wind and ocean currents.