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Aayushi Sharma
The world’s largest iceberg is on the move for the first time in more than 35 years. Now scientists are using radar to find its weight so that they track its melting and other activities with time. According to data, “the largest iceberg in the world, A23a, has an area almost three times that of New York City and weighs nearly one trillion tonnes (ESA)”. Scientists have determined information on the amount below the water by utilizing data from the agency’s CryoSat-2 mission, a spacecraft that carries a sort of radar capable of sensing how much of an iceberg’s bulk is above the water.
In 1986, A23a broke away from Antarctica and became stranded nearly instantly when a significant portion of it grounded on the bottom. It was recently knocked loose and began to float once more. A23a is now moving again, and it’s still unknown where wind and ocean currents will take it. The massive iceberg has arrived at the Antarctic Peninsula’s tip, where several distinct currents combine. According to the BBC, it is predicted to drift through a region known as “iceberg alley,” and its path will have an impact on the ocean floor and any nearby areas of the sea.
After recently seeing A23a, the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) stated that the iceberg is moving northward at a speed of about thirty miles per day. The eating habits of nearby species, such penguins, may be disturbed by this movement if it blocks their usual regions of foraging. According to a BAS spokesman, “it depends on its trajectory, but there is potential for impact to wildlife if it approaches any of the sub-Antarctic islands.”
References:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/worlds-largest-iceberg-a23a-weighs-almost-1-trillion-tons/
