January 01, 2024
The world’s biggest iceberg named A23a, which was stuck to the floor of the Weddell Sea, started moving for the first time in more than 30 years. The iceberg spans approximately 4,000 sq kms and weighs around a trillion metric tonnes. It split from the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf in West Antarctica in 1986 and got stuck to the sea floor subsequently. According to scientists, the thinning of the iceberg over the years led it to loosen and detach from the seafloor. The path of the iceberg was tracked by scientists with the help of satellite images. Ocean currents and winds caused the iceberg to move away from Antarctica towards the South Atlantic.
Did You Know?
More than 85% of an iceberg’s volume is below the water’s surface.
Image for representational purposes
