Largest Iceberg on Earth Begins to Move

Introduction

The press service of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute reported that the largest iceberg on Earth, twice the size of the city of St. Petersburg, began to move.

Movement of the Iceberg

The department notes that the giant mountain drifted 30 years ago and is now moving at a speed of 150 km per month along the coast of Antarctica.

“Specialists of the Center for Ice and Hydrometeorological Information of the Institute monitor the movement of the largest iceberg on the planet A23a, which previously housed the Soviet seasonal scientific base Druzhnaya-1. But with the onset of winter in Antarctica, more than 30 years after it broke away from the Antarctic ice, it began to move at a speed of more than 150 km per month. Now the iceberg is moving in the Weddell Sea along the coast of Antarctica,” read the statement.
Of course, icebergs can pose a threat to merchant ships and fishing vessels, so experts constantly monitor their movement.

Size of the Iceberg

According to the US National Ice Center, Glacier A23a has an area of ​​about 4170 square kilometers, which is more than twice the area of ​​St. Petersburg.

Historical Background

It should be noted that in 1986, three giant icebergs separated from the Filchner Ice Shelf, one of which was the Soviet scientific base Druzhnaya-1, and at that time the expedition personnel and their equipment were successfully evacuated.

Later, the largest of the three icebergs became stranded at the southern edge of the underwater Birkner Ridge, located in the southern Weddell Sea and north of the outer edge of the Filchner Ice Shelf, and became an ice island for many decades.

Possible Future of the Iceberg

According to scientists of the Institute, this giant mountain can “float” to the east, and after crossing the Drake Passage, it will begin to collapse under the influence of warmer currents.

“The iceberg could have something to do with the so-called Weddell Rotary Vortex, a slow current in the Weddell Sea that will carry it first to the west and then to the north. Gradually, it can carry the iceberg east of the Drake Passage, where over time it will collapse under the influence of warm currents, waves and wind,” the institute said in a statement.

Navigation Safety

Institute specialists note that the iceberg practically does not pose a threat to navigation, since it is clearly visible from satellites, so modern ship systems detect it from a great distance.

Source

Source: News