In 1986, the iceberg broke loose, and shortly afterwards it ran aground in the Weddel Sea between Queen Maud Land and the Antarctic Peninsula. Since then, the iceberg, which bears the name A23a, has largely lain still.
But in 2020 it started to falter, and now scientists can state that it has detached from the seabed. Now the ice massif is located near the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.
It will probably follow the Southern Ocean Current up towards the South Atlantic on a route called “iceberg alley” because of all the icebergs that end up here.
Nine times larger than Oslo
The iceberg is almost nine times the size of Oslo in area. It weighs close to three trillion tonnes and is over 400 meters thick.
There is probably no particular reason why A23a is moving right now, say experts.
– Over time, it has probably only become a little thinner and gained a little more buoyancy, which allows it to lift from the seabed and was driven away by the ocean currents, says glaciologist Oliver Marsh.
Can cause problems
It is not inconceivable that the iceberg could run aground again at the South Georgia archipelago in the South Atlantic.
Penguins in Antarctica
Photo: AP
It could be a big problem for the rich animal life on the islands, as the access to food in the sea could be reduced for millions of seals, penguins and birds. Something similar was close to happening in 2020 with the iceberg A68, but it was avoided when the iceberg was broken up.
– But an iceberg of this size has the potential to survive for quite a long time in the Southern Ocean, says Marsh.
It could make its way all the way up to South Africa, which could present problems for shipping, according to the glaciologist.
2023-11-25 01:30:21
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