Iceberg larger than London breaks off Antarctica’s ice shelf
A new iceberg larger than Greater London has broken off from Antarctica’s Brunt Ice Shelf.
Satellite imagery showed the split, which took place on January 22 near the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) Halley Research Station.
According to scientists, cracks had developed throughout the nearly 500-foot-thick ice shelf in recent years.
The iceberg eventually separated as the rift known as Chasm-1 fully extended, the BAS said in a press release.
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An aerial view of an iceberg nearly the size of Greater London that broke off the 150-meter-thick Brunt Ice Shelf in Coats Land, Antarctica, on January 24, 2023.
(European Union/Copernicus Sentinel-2 Imagery/Processed by DG DEFIS/Handout via )
This is the second major calving from this area in the last two years.
BAS glaciologists say the area of the ice shelf where the research station is located is currently unaffected by recent events.
Satellite monitoring first showed signs of change in Chasm-1 in 2012.
The Brunt Ice Shelf is pictured on January 24, 2023 in Coats Land, Antarctica.
(European Union/Copernicus Sentinel-2 images/Processed by DG DEFIS/Handout via REUTERS)
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The new iceberg, the press release said, will likely follow the path of the A74 – which departed in early 2021 – and will be named by the US National Ice Center.
Reuters reported that the name would be A81.
The new iceberg is pictured January 24, 2023 in Coats Land, Antarctica.
(European Union/Copernicus Sentinel-2 images/Processed by DG DEFIS/Handout via REUTERS)
The changes in the Brunt Ice Shelf are a natural process, and the BAS said there is no link to the rapid calving events observed on the Larsen C Ice Shelf, and no evidence that climate change has played a significant role – although climate change has been blamed for other collapses in other parts of Antarctica.
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“This calving event was expected and is part of the natural behavior of the Brunt Ice Shelf. It’s not linked to climate change,” Professor Dominic Hodgson, BAS glaciologist, said in a statement. “Our science and operations teams continue to monitor the ice shelf in real time to ensure it is safe and to maintain delivery of the science we are conducting at Halley.”
Reuters contributed to this report.
Julia Musto is a reporter for Fox News and Fox Business Digital.
