A giant 4,000 square kilometers (three times the size of New York City) remained at the bottom of the river Antarctic Ocean for almost 30 years and came about for unknown reasons. It’s about Iceberg A23a, the largest in the worldwhich moves towards the Atlantic.
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The British Antarctic Survey reported that the gigantic iceberg had been stranded on the seabed for more than three decades and is now on the move.
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According to El Espectador, the A23a separated from the Antarctic coast in 1986, but settled in the Wedell Sea and became an ice island.
Satellite images reported the strange phenomenon and showed how the iceberg began moving rapidly several months ago. and now it is about to cross Antarctic waters.
Why did it start moving?
The expert Andrew Fleming from the British Antarctic Survey, told the BBC that he himself had asked some colleagues whether a change in temperature in the waters could have been the cause. “But everyone agreed that the time had simply come.”
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It had been stranded since 1986, but at some point it would lose so much size that it lost its footing and started moving.
According to the glaciologist, A23a “had been stranded since 1986, but over time it would decrease in size to the point where it would lose its footing and start moving.” “We detected the first movement in 2020.”
In addition, the expert noted that the iceberg has been pushed by winds and currents in recent months and is now passing the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.
“Like most icebergs in the Weddll sector, A23a will almost certainly be thrown into the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, which will hurl it towards the Antarctic Circumpolar Current South Atlantic on a path that has become a kind of “iceberg alley”, Fleming explained.
What consequences will the phenomenon have?
Millions of seals, penguins and other seabirds living in southern Georgia would be affected if the iceberg runs aground on that island. Its size would annoy these species.
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“An iceberg of this size has the potential to survive in the Southern Ocean for some time, even if it is much warmer, and could push further north towards South Africa, where it can disrupt shipping,” said British Antarctic Survey glaciologist, Oliver Marsh.
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