Massive Iceberg Breaks Away In The Antarctic

MASSIVE iceberg the size of Bedfordshire breaks away in the Atlantic

An iceberg measuring 1,270 square kilometres, incredibly the size of Bedfordshire, has broken away from the Brunt Ice Shelf in the Antarctic, in a process known to scientists as ‘calving’. According to the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), they have been monitoring the situation constantly after a huge crack, known as the North Rift, occurred in 2020. This is the largest mass that has split off the Brunt Ice Shelf in more than 100 years.

BAS director Jane Francis said: ‘Our teams at BAS have been prepared for the calving of an iceberg from Brunt Ice Shelf for years.

‘We monitor the ice shelf daily using an automated network of high-precision GPS instruments that surround the station, these measure how the ice shelf is deforming and moving. We also use satellite images from ESA, NASA and the German satellite TerraSAR-X.’

Ms Francis said that at the height of the Antarctic winter where temperatures can reach as low as 50C and the area is in total darkness, no staff are on site, but the data is continuously relayed back to Cambridge so that scientists always know what is happening.

‘Over coming weeks or months, the iceberg may move away; or it could run aground and remain close to Brunt Ice Shelf. Halley Station is located inland of all the active chasms, on the part of the ice shelf that remains connected to the continent.

‘Our network of GPS instruments will give us early warning if the calving of this iceberg causes changes in the ice around our station.’

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