Animation of giant iceberg leaving Greenland

[n2doc]

Iceberg breaking off Petermann glacier in Greenland
Greenland glacier gives birth to giant iceberg

9 August 2010
Envisat has been observing a rare event in the Arctic since early August - a giant iceberg breaking off the Petermann glacier in North-West Greenland.

The Petermann glacier is one of the largest glaciers connecting the Greenland inland ice sheet with the Arctic Ocean. Upon reaching the sea, a number of these large outlet glaciers extend into the water with a floating 'ice tongue'.

The ice tongue of the Petermann glacier was the largest in Greenland, with an extension of about 70 km until early August. This tide-water glacier regularly advances towards the ocean at about 1 km per year. During the previous months, satellite images revealed that several cracks had appeared on the glacier surface, suggesting to scientists that a break-up event was imminent.

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http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMYXY4OJCG_index_0.html

[Whoa_Nelly]

1. K&R

[Judi Lynn]

2. Vast Iceberg Could Cause Another Titanic

Vast Iceberg Could Cause Another Titanic
Gigantic glacier may be headed for shipping lanes
By Kevin Spak| Posted Aug 12, 2010 11:20 AM CDT

(Newser) – Researchers are frantically calculating the trajectory of the 100-square-mile island of ice that broke off a Greenland glacier recently, afraid that it could easily drift down into the heavily-trafficked waters where another Greenland iceberg sank the Titanic. The chunk of ice is four times the size of Manhattan, and “so big that you can’t prevent it from drifting. You can’t stop it,” one glaciologist tells the AP.

The ice seems to be headed for the Nares Strait, and if it makes it there before next month’s winter freeze, the current will carry it south, along Canada’s east coast. There, it’ll probably break up, forming huge fragments that could sink the many ships and offshore oil platforms in the area. Normally, oil rigs redirect icebergs, towing them or spraying them with water, but those tactics almost certainly wouldn’t work on icebergs this big.

http://www.newser.com/story/97929/massive-ice-island-could-cause-another-titanic.html