Brunt Ice Shelf crack.Photo: British Antarctic Survey
A massive iceberg larger than New York City broke off of an ice shelf in Antarctica this week, the result of a large crack that had been building over the last 10 years.
The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) first detected vast cracks in the Brunt Ice Shelf about a decade ago, and on Friday morning, an iceberg 490 square miles large broke off the shelf in what is known as a “calving” event, BAS said in amedia release.
That size means it’s not only larger than New York City, but also 20 times larger than Manhattan, according to theWashington Post.
The release said that glaciologists have been expecting a calving like this for many years, and that the BAS' Halley Research Station, which is located on the Brunt Ice Shelf, will likely not be affected. All 12 people working there left in mid-February.
According to the Alaska Satellite Facility, calving is when chunks of ice known as icebergs break off at the end of a glacier “because the forward motion of a glacier makes the terminus unstable.”
British Antarctic Survey
Simon Garrod, director of operations at BAS, called it a “dynamic situation,” and said he was glad that the research station was moved a few years ago, or it would’ve been carried away.
“Four years ago we moved Halley Research Station inland to ensure that it would not be carried away when an iceberg eventually formed. That was a wise decision,” he said in a statement. “Our job now is to keep a close eye on the situation and assess any potential impact of the present calving on the remaining ice shelf. We continuously review our contingency plans to ensure the safety of our staff, protect our research station, and maintain the delivery of the science we undertake at Halley.”
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There have been six different Halley Research Stations on the Brunt Ice Shelf since 1956, according to the release.
Meanwhile, the future of the nearly 500-foot-thick iceberg remains uncertain, said BAS Director Professor Jane Francis.
“Over coming weeks or months, the iceberg may move away; or it could run aground and remain close to Brunt Ice Shelf,” she said in a statement.
Even so, the release said that changes in the ice at Halley is a “natural process,” and there is “no evidence that climate change has played a significant role.”
According to theWashington Post, the calving event will not raise sea levels, since ice shelves are already floating areas that displace water. The iceberg will, however, be monitored in case it moves into a shipping lane.
source: people.com
