MASSIVE ICEBERG A23A IS MOVING AWAY FROM ANTARCTICA

A satellite image of the world’s largest iceberg, named A23a, seen in Antarctica on November 15, 2023. | European Union/Copernicus Sentinel-3/Handout/Reuters

Sat 25 October 2023:

The largest iceberg in the world, which was formerly a part of Antarctica, is drifting away from the continent and has drawn attention from scientists worldwide. In 1986, the iceberg known as A23a broke away from the Antarctic coast, but it eventually grounded and turned into a kind of “ice island.” However, its current course could soon take it beyond Antarctic waters.

The area of A23a is close to 4,000 sq km. It is now larger than twice as large as Greater London. There was a Soviet research outpost there in 1986 when it broke away from Antarctica. Thinking they were going to lose the base and all of the equipment, the Soviets promptly dispatched an expedition to the iceberg.

But A23a, after detaching itself from Antarctica, got ‘grounded’ in the Weddell Sea. But after 40 years of being in place, it is moving again.

“I asked a couple of colleagues about this, wondering if there was any possible change in shelf water temperatures that might have provoked it, but the consensus is the time had just come,” said Dr Andrew Fleming, a remote sensing expert from the British Antarctic Survey.

“It was grounded since 1986 but eventually it was going to decrease (in size) sufficiently to lose grip and start moving. I spotted first movement back in 2020.”

Fleming was quoted by BBC.

The movement of A23a has quickened in recent months due to winds and currents. It is being predicted that it’ll get tossed towards southern part of the Atlantic Ocean near an island named South Georgia. The island is home to millions of seals, penguins and other birds. There is fear that if A23a moves near South Georgia Island, it may interfere with the habitat of wild animals and birds there and may even affect their food source. But these are speculations at the moment.

BBC has quoted experts to say that the detachment of the iceberg and its movement away from Antarctica may not exactly be a fallout of climate change.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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