By Daniel Brouse
An iceberg weighing over one trillion tons (about the size of Delaware) broke off Antarctica. “Antarctica contains 90% of the world’s fresh water as ice. If all the ice melts, sea levels will rise by 60 meters (200 feet). The sea ice melting doesn’t raise the sea level as the ice is already floating.” (Brouse / Mukerhjee 2017)
Antarctica Larsen C Ice Crack
The new iceberg was already floating, so it won’t have much effect on the sea level; however, it may a destabilizing effect on the rest of Antarctica. “One warning sign that a dangerous warming is beginning in Antarctica, will be a breakup of ice shelves in the Antarctic Peninsula just south of the recent January 0C isotherm; the ice shelf in the Prince Gustav Channel on the east side of the peninsula, and the Wordie Ice Shelf; the ice shelf in George VI Sound, and the ice shelf in Wilkins Sound on the west side.” (John Mercer 1978)
In January of 2017, a UK research team discovered a huge increase in a massive 90-mile crack running through the Larsen C shelf (pictured to the right). In June of 2017, the crack broke and a huge iceberg was created.
Ice Shelf Animation By Doyle Rice and Jim Sergent