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World’s Largest Iceberg A23a Drifts Toward Warmer Waters

World's Largest Iceberg A23a Drifts Toward Warmer Waters Pulse news network
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LONDON: The world’s largest iceberg, A23a, is back on the move after being stuck for months in the Southern Ocean. Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) confirmed that the iceberg, which measures 3,672 square kilometers (1,418 square miles)—larger than Rhode Island—has broken free from its spinning vortex and is now drifting through ocean currents toward warmer waters.

A23a has been closely monitored since it calved from the Filchner-Ronne ice shelf in Antarctica in 1986. The iceberg remained grounded on the seabed in the Weddell Sea for over 30 years. Experts suggest that shrinking, combined with ocean forces, finally loosened its grip on the seafloor.

The iceberg’s motion was initially halted by a Taylor column—a spinning vortex caused by ocean currents hitting an underwater mountain. Now that A23a has broken free from this natural obstruction, scientists expect it to continue its drift toward South Georgia Island. As it approaches warmer regions, the iceberg is likely to melt, causing it to eventually break apart.

A23a has held the title of the largest iceberg multiple times over the years, having been surpassed by larger icebergs like A68 in 2017 and A76 in 2021. Although its movement is part of a natural cycle, scientists continue to express concern about the potential impact of climate change on Antarctica, which could contribute to rising sea levels globally.

Researchers Study

Throughout its movement, researchers have studied how the iceberg impacts ocean ecosystems and global ocean cycles of carbon and nutrients. Biogeochemist Laura Taylor, who sampled the water near the iceberg, noted that these giant icebergs can promote thriving ecosystems by releasing nutrients. Her team aims to learn more about how A23a’s scale and origins affect surrounding marine life, as well as how the iceberg influences carbon dynamics in the ocean and atmosphere.

BAS scientists collected samples from the ocean surface both behind and ahead of the iceberg to study life and nutrients around it. This research will help improve understanding of how drifting icebergs impact environmental processes. The eventual melt of A23a will also contribute to the ongoing study of how these movements affect global sea levels.

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