ISTANBUL
Scientists predict that the world’s largest iceberg, A23a, will break apart within a month after escaping a whirlpool it was captured in January 2024 and carried towards Antarctica.
A23a broke off from the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf in Antarctica in August 1986.
The iceberg remained stationary for about 34 years.
But in 2020, ocean currents began to move it and it began to drift towards the western part of the Weddell Sea.
During its journey, the iceberg got stuck in a whirlpool and spun around it from January to mid-December 2024.
Now freed from the whirlpool, the A23a is drawn towards Antarctica.
Andrew Meijers, Deputy Science Leader of the Polar Oceans Team at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), explained the details of A23a’s new voyage to Anadolu.
Meijers said they did not observe any external factors influencing the iceberg’s escape from the whirlpool, but he speculated that strong currents and winds in the region may have played a role.
He noted that the iceberg is now clearly within the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and will continue to move northeast toward South Georgia.
Meijers said the complete melting of the iceberg depends on its location, noting that the Antarctic Circumpolar Current is known for its strong currents, which affect ocean temperatures.
As the iceberg moves north, temperatures are expected to rise, speeding up the melting process.
“This will greatly accelerate the rate of melting, as will the generally warming ocean temperatures as the Southern Hemisphere enters summer. Most previous megamountains have erupted roughly near South Georgia, which is probably only a month or so from the mountain’s current position.
“However, it is not unknown for bergs to get much further north, and if it manages to ride a fast ocean jet, it could potentially make it closer to South Africa,” he added.
Meijers also pointed out that A23a could make various contributions to the ecosystem in the region.
Because of its significant size, the iceberg brings nutrient-rich water from the deep ocean to the surface, including iron, zinc and other micronutrients.
This process can stimulate the growth of phytoplankton, which in turn benefits krill and predators that depend on this food source.
“On the negative side, if the iceberg ends up close to South Georgia, it has the potential to make life more difficult for penguin and seal colonies there. If it blocks access to feeding grounds, these animals have to swim much further to get food, which puts them under stress,” added he.
Meijers also said that previous icebergs that have reached the region have caused the death of many marine creatures, including a significant number of juveniles.
He added that the increasing number of broken iceberg fragments in the area could further restrict movement, making commercial fishing more difficult.
Meijers said the process of iceberg formation is completely natural.
However, he noted a significant increase in the frequency of iceberg calving in Antarctica in recent years.
“This is primarily driven by increased melting of ice shelves from beneath the ocean, due to increased ocean temperatures. The exact driving force behind the increase in ocean temperatures is still being actively researched, but a prime candidate is human-induced climate change.
“We have also seen a procession of ice shelves collapsing down the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula, particularly the Larson A and B ice shelves, and these ice shelf collapses have also been attributed to human-driven climate change,” he added.
