A massive iceberg known as A23a, covering an area of 3,360 square kilometers and weighing around a trillion tons, has maintained its integrity since 2020, slowly drifting northward. This colossal ice formation is heading toward the remote island of South Georgia in the South Atlantic, raising concerns among researchers about the potential threat it poses to the island’s populations of penguins and seals. Recently, a piece measuring approximately 19 kilometers in length broke off from the giant iceberg. Andrew Meyers from the British Antarctic Survey, who began tracking the movement of this ice giant via satellite in 2023, reported the event. Alongside Meyers, glaciologist Soledad Tiranti, a member of the Argentine Antarctic expedition, also shared the news. The area of the jagged piece that broke off is about 80 square kilometers, as reported by Science Alert. This fragment is just a small portion of what remains.
What You Need to Know About Iceberg A23a
Known as A23a, this iceberg is the largest and oldest in the world, having calved from the Antarctic shelf in 1986. It remained trapped in ice for over 30 years before finally breaking free in 2020. Its awkward journey northward has sometimes been hindered by ocean forces that caused it to rotate in place. This massive ice block has been carried by the world’s strongest oceanic current: the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. Meyers noted that although this “monumental specimen” has diminished over time and lost some mass, it remains relatively intact. According to the glaciologist, in the past, other mega icebergs have disintegrated “quickly, within a few weeks,” as soon as they began losing large chunks. It’s difficult to determine whether this is a “wobbly tooth just waiting to fall out” or a sign of much more serious changes. “It’s very hard to say whether it will break apart right now or hold on for a while longer,” Meyers stated. He also pointed out that the trajectory of A23a toward South Georgia, a crucial feeding ground for seals and penguins, is unlikely to change due to the loss of this section.
However, if the iceberg continues to fracture, it will pose “significantly less of a threat to wildlife.” Animals searching for food will be able to navigate more freely among the smaller ice chunks in their quest for sustenance, the scientist added. Soledad Tiranti expects the iceberg to keep moving northward, but the exact course of A23a largely depends on how local currents influence its movement.