For several months, the world’s largest iceberg has been circulating in the same place in the Southern Ocean.
And there it can be spinning for a long time to come.
– This has never happened before, said Les Watling, professor emeritus of life sciences at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
The gigantic colossus is estimated to be 3,672 square kilometers. More than twice the size of London.
Iceberg A23a has fascinated scientists since it broke free from the Filchner-Rønne ice shelf in Antarctica.
Now it’s caught in a rotating vortex, reports CNN.
“Surprised”
Since a couple of months ago, the currents make the mountain rotate about 15 degrees per day. And more rotation may be in store for the already spinning iceberg.
According to Alexander Brearley, physical oceanographer at the British Antarctic Survey, it could be several years.
– I think we are a little surprised that it has remained as long as it has. So I guess we’ll have to wait and see, he says.
– This has never happened before, says Les Watling, professor emeritus of life sciences at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
No risk of rising sea levels
According to British Antarctic Survey melts A23a slowly, but will not cause rising sea levels.
– I don’t think we should be worried about this particular incident. But more generally we should be interested in icebergs. Understanding the numbers, where they come from and ultimately what it means for the land-based ice that lies behind them, says Alexander Brearley.
The discovery was made using satellite images. The mountain moves so slowly that it cannot be seen with the naked eye.