The Largest Iceberg Is Drifting Away from Antarctic Waters
A Gigantic iceberg roughly three times the size of New York has been making headlines everywhere. It’s the A23a iceberg. before we go into why this happened and could potentially be a threat to us, let’s learn a little bit about this iceberg’s history.
Where did A23a come from ?
In 1987, a massive iceberg, called A23, broke off from Antarctica’s Filchner Ice Shelf. A23 broke apart into three smaller pieces. One of those pieces was A23a. The iceberg has been grounded for over 30 years. Now it’s floating in the open ocean. It is about 74 kilometers long, and 59 kilometers wide. It is so massive that if you were to stand on it, you would see a world only made of ice.
Its just a natural process phew!
As huge icebergs break away from Antarctica, it’s natural to ponder if these events are linked to climate change. From time to time the edges of ice shelves break off. This natural process is called calving. It is influenced by various factors like ice shelf dynamics, oceanic and atmospheric conditions, etc. However, the intensification of this process could be influenced by our changing climate. But since this particular iceberg calved from A23, it was bound to break again.
The impact?
As Iceberg A23a continues its journey away from Antarctica, its immense size will gradually give way to smaller pieces, melting and merging with the sea. This process is anticipated to leave behind a trail of freshwater, altering the temperature of the water and the saltiness. Moreover, as the iceberg melts, it’s expected to release substantial quantities of mineral dust, potentially affecting the balance of life for the plants and animals inhabiting the nearby sea waters.
