A new paper that uses the
temperature record from Byrd Station, a scientific outpost in the center of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS),
says that the western part of the ice sheet is experiencing nearly twice as much warming as previously thought.
The temperature record from Byrd Station shows an increase of 4.3 degrees Fahrenheit in average annual temperature since 1958, three times faster than the average temperature rise around the globe. If those older temperature readings are accurate, this temperature increase is nearly double what previous examinations have suggested. Our record suggests that continued summer warming in West Antarctica could upset the surface mass balance of the ice sheet, so that the region could make an even bigger contribution to sea level rise than it already does, said David Bromwich, professor of geography at Ohio State University and senior research scientist at the Byrd Polar Research Center.
Iceberg A68a has been on a slow journey toward potential disaster.
The huge ice mass, which broke from the Antarctic’s Larsen C ice shelf in July 2017, slid toward the open ocean for over two years until it hit the powerful Circumpolar Current that circles the continent.
That propelled the berg northeast through what scientists call “iceberg alley”, and it’s now headed straight for South Georgia Island, and could hit the remote world in the southern Atlantic teeming with wildlife within days.
At 4,200 square kilometres, the berg is bigger than Singapore or Luxembourg.
“There’s nothing that’s really been that large before in scientific history that we’ve seen coming up to South Georgia,” said Geraint Tarling, a biological oceanographer with the British Antarctic Survey.
on a slow journey to potential disaster.
The huge ice mass, which broke from the Antarctic s Larsen C ice shelf in July 2017, slid towards the open ocean for more than two years until it hit the powerful circumpolar current that circles the continent. .
That propelled the berg north-east through what scientists call iceberg alley , and it is now headed straight for South Georgia Island, and could within days hit the remote outpost in the southern Atlantic teeming with wildlife. A picture provided by the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) and taken from an A400M Atlas Royal Air Force (RAF) aircraft shows the first photographic evidence of one of the largest recorded icebergs floating near the island of South Georgia, South Atlantic to where it has transited from Antarctica. EPA
Slideshow ( 5 images )
The huge ice mass, which broke from the Antarctic’s Larsen C ice shelf in July 2017, slid toward the open ocean for over two years until it hit the powerful Circumpolar Current that circles the continent.
That propelled the berg northeast through what scientists call “iceberg alley”, and it’s now headed straight for South Georgia Island, and could hit the remote world in the southern Atlantic teeming with wildlife within days.
At 4,200 square kilometers (1,620 sq miles), the berg is bigger than Singapore or Luxembourg.
“There’s nothing that’s really been that large before in scientific history that we’ve seen coming up to South Georgia,” said Geraint Tarling, a biological oceanographer with the British Antarctic Survey.
An enormous iceberg is heading towards South Georgia Island in the southern Atlantic, where scientists say a collision could devastate wildlife by threatening the food chain. Scientists have long been watching this climate-related event unfold, as the iceberg - the size and shape of Jamaica – has meandered and advanced over two years since breaking off from the Antarctic peninsula in July 2017.
BRITISH ROYAL AIR FORCE
Iceberg A68a is 4,200 sq km in size and is about the same shape and size as Jamaica. The peninsula is one of the fastest-warming places on Earth, registering a record high temperature of 20.75 degrees Celsius on February 9. The warming has scientists concerned about ice melt and collapse leading to higher sea levels worldwide.