Un iceberg, at least twice the size of New York City, broke away from the Brunt Ice Shelf, bordering British Antarctic Territory.
Header GIF: This series of before/after images clearly shows the separation of a huge iceberg from the Brunt Ice Shelf. The original image was taken on January 20 by a USGS satellite, while the second image is from the satellite Sentinel-2 of the EU on 24 January. (Sentinel-2 / Copernicus EU / USGS Landsat)
The 1,550 square kilometer chunk of ice broke away from the 150 meter thick ice shelf on Sunday. Cracks were first observed by British scientists in 2012, after a period of inactivity of at least 35 years.
The fault, designated Chasm-1, gradually widened. In 2016, the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) was forced to move its research station Halley 23 kilometers from the fissure.
Halley VI Research Station on the Brunt Ice Shelf. (LOW)
BAS glaciologists have spent much of the past decade taking daily measurements of the ice shelf to understand the characteristics of the fissure. Halley is watched over the summer. 16 GPS instruments measure the ice shelf every hour, while four satellites take images of its deformation, and radars and drones report sudden changes in the ice.
Although iceberg calving is increasing with climate change, scientists say this event is unrelated to rising temperatures due to global warming.
Chasm-1 lay dormant for many years but has now created a new iceberg. (LOW)
According to Professor Dominic Hodgson, glaciologist at BAS:
This calving event was expected. It is part of the natural behavior of the Brunt Ice Shelf. It is not related to climate change.
A similar event took place in 2021, when iceberg A74 broke away from part of the ice shelf north of Halley Research Station. The new iceberg, which will likely be known as A81, is west of the station.
Graphic showing that Chasm-1 has calved a huge iceberg the size of Greater London. (LOW)
Images released by BAS show the A81 breaking away from the ice shelf, and it is expected to follow the path of the A74 in the Weddell Sea over the next few months.
Professor Hodgson said the BAS will continue to monitor Brunt’s Barrier, but the calving should not impact the work of Halley’s station, which monitors space weather and atmospheric ozone levels.
Announced on the British Antarctic Survey website: Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica calves giant iceberg.
