It has set off towards Antarctica: A23a, presumably the largest iceberg in the world.
Source: dpa
The largest iceberg in the world is melting. Warmer air and water will sooner or later crush the colossus and disappear, researchers say.01/20/2024 | 0:16 mins
A23a broke away from the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf in Antarctica in 1986, but remained attached to the seafloor for another ten years. After becoming detached in 2000, it remained trapped in circulating ocean currents. But now he has escaped, as can be seen on satellite images.
Satellite images show that A23a has escaped the circling ocean current in which it was trapped for years.
Source: dpa
Waves and weather affect A23a
The iceberg is around 4,000 square kilometers in size, making it around 4.5 times the size of Berlin. Waves and weather have carved huge arches and cavernous depressions into the colossus, as images from an Eyos Expeditions ship showed.
The “tipping point” was reached in July 2017. A gigantic area of ice broke away from the ice shelf in Antarctica. Expert Lesch explains.01/23/2025 | 14:58 mins
Unclear consequences for the ecosystem
A23a is expected to move towards the island of South Georgia. There it will encounter warmer water, break into smaller icebergs and ultimately melt, the statement said.
We are curious to see whether it will follow the same path as other large icebergs that have broken off from the Antarctic ice shelf. More importantly, what impact will this have on the local ecosystem?
Andrew Meijers, oceanographer
Source: dpa
