The world's largest iceberg, A23a, has begun to move after 37 years on the seabed. The block of ice broke off from the Antarctic coastline in 1986, but quickly sank to the bottom of the Weddell Sea, becoming part of the ice sheet.
This was reported by “MIR 24” with reference to The Daily Mail.
Iceberg A23a covers an area of almost 4000 sq km, which is twice the size of London. Its thickness is about 400 meters.
In 2020, the iceberg began to move, and in 2022 it began to rapidly drift. A23a has picked up speed in recent months and is now passing the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, according to satellite data.
Scientists believe that the iceberg lost some of its ice, causing it to lose its grip on the seabed and begin to move. Like most icebergs from the Weddell sector, A23a will almost certainly be thrown into the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, which will send it into the South Atlantic along a path known as “iceberg alley”.
Scientists fear the iceberg could pose a threat to the millions of seals, penguins and seabirds that live there if it reaches South Georgia. However, icebergs also benefit ecosystems - as they melt, they release mineral dust that provides nutrients for organisms that form the basis of the Antarctic food chain.
