The iceberg nicknamed A23a, which has been moored on the seabed in the Weddel Sea for 30 years, has now broken free and is moving northward with an uncertain fate.
This difficult journey was widely discussed by several international media, among others BBC.
The internet is boiling: – Unreal!
Giant
“Island” might be a better term for the iceberg, whose total area is no less than 4,000 square kilometers.
This is roughly the size of Oslo nine times or the whole of Luxembourg one and a half times.
A23a broke away from the Antarctic coastline in 1986, and has since resided in the Weddel Sea, until launching its own liberation struggle in 2020.
However, scientists were finally able to confirm this year that the 400 meter thick ice island had completely fallen off.
– The moment has come
Scientists cannot yet explain why the iceberg – or the island – is only starting to move now – after being in the middle of the sea for a long period of more than 30 years.
– I discussed this with a few colleagues, and wondered whether temperature changes in shallow waters could be the trigger, but there is broad agreement that the time has come, Andrew Flemming, a remote sensing expert from the British Antarctic Survey, told the BBC.
The mountain has been carried by the wind, and is expected to follow the Southern Ocean currents which in turn will carry the island towards the South Atlantic.
The mountain is currently located near the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.
– Gives life
It is estimated that the iceberg will eventually melt completely. During the melting process, icebergs emit mineral dust. This is important for some organisms.
– In some areas, icebergs give life. They are the starting point for a huge amount of biological activity, Catherine Walker of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution told the same newspaper.
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