Larsen C Ice Shelf: 3 Miles To Go - Expect Multiple Calvings, Not Just The Delaware Berg

[hatrack]

LONDON-It is hanging on by a thread of just three miles of ice, and it seems that when the Larsen C iceberg finally breaks off, it won’t be alone. Using ESA satellites, researchers have spotted multiple rifts within three miles of the ice edge.

Experts predict that these rifts will lead to the formation of several smaller icebergs, as well as the large iceberg which is estimated to have a huge area of 2,239 sq miles (5,800 sq km) – roughly the same size as Delaware.

The Larsen C ice shelf is moving ever closer to calving one of the largest icebergs on record, with satellite images taken last week revealing that a chunk of ice is hanging on ‘by a thread.’ And the latest data from July 6 reveals that, in a release of built-up stresses, the rift has branched several times.

In a blog, a spokesperson for the MIDAS Project, which is monitoring the ice shelf, said: ‘Using data from ESA’s Sentinel-1 satellites, we can see that there are multiple rift tips now within 5 km of the ice edge. ‘We expect that these rifts will lead to the formation of several smaller icebergs, as well as the large iceberg which we estimate will have an area of 5,800 sq km.

EDIT

http://nation.com.pk/snippets/11-Jul-2017/multiple-icebergs-ready-to-break-off-larsen-c-ice-shelf

[longship]

1. Note: It's just past midwinter there!

Not even winter is helping slow this event much.

Chinese hoax? BAH!

R&K

[LiberalArkie]

2. I wonder if the autopilots on the big container ships and tankers can detect an iceberg?

It's evident that our navy ships can't detect a container ship, so what could possibly go wrong.