Excerpt: Named A-84 by the U.S. National Ice Center, the berg measures about 30 kilometers (19 miles) long and 17 kilometers (11 miles) wide. It has an area approaching the size of Chicago, Illinois.
Iceberg calving is a normal occurrence for ice shelves. However, factors such as warming air and water along with decreasing protective sea ice can accelerate calving and lead to collapse, as has happened to several ice shelves along the Antarctic Peninsula.
Observations made by explorers beginning in the early 1940s, and later by remote sensing, show that the George VI has been losing shelf ice. For now, the retreat has been gradual, aided by the stability provided by its unique location, sandwiched between the Antarctic Peninsula and Alexander Island.
No comments:
Post a Comment