Giant iceberg A23a begins epic journey toward South Georgia
An ice mass has broken off from a glacier in Antarctica and, after more than 30 years, has begun its journey. Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey are trying to predict its future trajectory and study its impact on the ecosystem.
7:19 AM EST, December 17, 2024
The iceberg, known as A23a, is a true giant. It weighs trillions of tons and covers a surface area of 1,540 square miles, making it nearly eight times the size of Washington, D.C. It's slightly taller than the Palace of Culture at 918 feet. Currently, 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 iceberg initially separated from the Filchner Ice Shelf in Antarctica in 1986 and remained grounded at the bottom of the Weddell Sea for over 30 years. Earlier this year, it entered the so-called Taylor column, a type of 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 Arctic island group. New satellite images show that after exiting the vortex, it is moving northward, most likely heading towards the island of South Georgia.
Scientists are wondering whether it will follow the same path as other ice masses due to the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. Observations of the A23a iceberg are being conducted using satellites and the research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough, which set sail in September.
Laura Taylor, a biochemist aboard the RRS Sir David Attenborough, noted that icebergs have the ability to enrich the waters they traverse with vital nutrients, fostering vibrant ecosystems even in nutrient-poor regions, according to 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.
