Iceberg A23a embarks on journey after decades of stillness
After more than 30 years, an ice mass has broken off from a glacier in Antarctica and begun its journey. Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey are trying to predict its future trajectory and study its impact on the ecosystem.
The iceberg, known as A23a, is a true giant. It weighs trillions of tonnes and has a surface area of about 3,990 square kilometres, making it nearly eight times the size of Washington, D.C. It's slightly taller than the Palace of Culture, approximately 280 metres. A23a is drifting across the Southern Ocean and heading towards South Georgia.
Iceberg is also being tracked from the ship Sir David Attenborough
The A23a initially separated from the Filchner Ice Shelf in Antarctica in 1986, and for over 30 years, it remained grounded at the bottom of the Weddell Sea. It entered the so-called Taylor column earlier this year, a vortex that temporarily halted its movement. According to the BBC, scientists from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have confirmed that, after more than three decades, the iceberg A23a has left its previous location near the South Orkney Islands, an Antarctic island group. According to new satellite images, after exiting the vortex, it is moving northward, most likely heading towards the island of South Georgia.
Scientists wonder whether the Antarctic Circumpolar Current will cause it to follow the same path as other ice masses. The A23a iceberg is being observed using satellites and the research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough, which set sail in September.
"We know that these giant icebergs can provide nutrients to the waters they pass through, creating thriving ecosystems in otherwise less productive areas," commented Laura Taylor, a biochemist and passenger on the RRS Sir David Attenborough, as reported by the "Daily Mail".
For now, it is unknown what will happen with A23a. Researchers have collected water samples from the vicinity directly around and on the iceberg's path, which will help better understand what kind of ecosystems may develop here. Taylor emphasized that these studies will help determine the types of ecosystems that might emerge around A23a.
