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The world’s biggest iceberg, named A23a, has come to a standstill as it appears to have run aground in shallow waters off the remote island of South Georgia after drifting around the Southern Ocean near Antarctica since 2020.
A23a, weighing 1.1 trillion tons, has come to a stop off the remote British territorial island in the southern Atlantic Ocean, according to a statement from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) on Tuesday.
Dr. Andrew Meijers, an oceanographer at BAS, said the trillion-ton slab of ice – called a megaberg – could “break up, disperse and melt.”
“If the iceberg stays grounded, we don’t expect it to significantly affect the local wildlife of South Georgia…. Commercial fisheries have been disrupted in the past however, and as the berg breaks into smaller pieces, this might make fishing operations in the area both more difficult and potentially hazardous,” Meijers said.
He added that it “will be interesting to see what will happen” with A23a.
“From a scientific perspective we are keen to see how the iceberg will affect the local ecosystem. Nutrients stirred up by the grounding and from its melt may boost food availability for the whole regional ecosystem, including for charismatic penguins and seals,” he said.
“We have several ongoing studies looking at exactly how ‘megabergs’ influence the ocean circulation, its chemistry, and the ecosystems they support.”
For every bit of the iceberg above the water’s surface, there’s 10 times more below, Meijers said.
He predicted in January that in two to four weeks, the iceberg would approach South Georgia, where the water gets shallow, and would wedge itself in or slide past.
South Georgia is an amazingly ecologically rich island. It’s a breeding ground for a huge number of penguins, millions of penguins and seals,” Meijers said. “There’s lots of pups and chicks and they’re all still dependent on their parents.”
The parents go out quite a way into the water and forage. Icebergs can block pathways to their food, making the adults swim farther, burning more energy, bringing back less to the babies. That “unfortunately can dramatically increase mortality rates. And it has happened in the past,” Meijers said.
In 2020, another massive iceberg broke off of Antarctica and was on a potential collision course with South Georgia, home to thousands of penguins and seals.
The iceberg, known as A68-A, looked like a giant hand pointing a finger. It measured 150 kilometres long and 48 kilometres wide, with a surface area nearly as large as Prince Edward Island. It was the largest remnant of an even bigger iceberg that calved off the Larsen C ice shelf in July 2017.
There are no permanent settlements in South Georgia or the nearby Sandwich Islands, but the U.K. maintains two research bases and oversees commercial fishing in the area.
Many icebergs have become caught in the shallow waters around South Georgia, where they linger and slowly melt over long periods of time.
Part of a massive iceberg known as A38 ran aground at South Georgia in 2004, causing mass die-offs among seal pups and penguin chicks. The iceberg had split in two, leaving behind one piece that measured 70 kilometres long and 19 kilometres wide.
Conclusion:
The world’s largest iceberg, A23a, has come to a standstill off the coast of South Georgia, with significant implications for the local ecosystem.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- What is A23a?
A23a is the world’s largest iceberg, weighing 1.1 trillion tons. - What is the impact of A23a on the local ecosystem?
The iceberg’s grounding and melting may boost food availability for the regional ecosystem, but it could also lead to increased mortality rates for penguins and seals. - How big is A23a?
A23a is approximately 1.1 trillion tons, with 10 times more below the surface. - What is the significance of South Georgia?
South Georgia is an ecologically rich island, home to millions of penguins and seals, and is a breeding ground for many species.
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