The world’s largest iceberg has begun moving again after being trapped in a spiral for most of the year.
A23a has an area of 3,800 square kilometers (1,500 sq mi), more than twice the size of Greater London, and is 400 meters (1,312 ft) thick. It broke free from Antarctica in 1986, but soon became stranded off the coast.
The depth of the iceberg means that its bottom rested on the bottom of the Weddell Sea, part of the Southern Ocean, where it has remained stationary for more than 30 years.
It began moving north in 2020, but has remained so since the spring It spins instantly after being stuck in a rotating column of water Near the South Orkney Islands.
The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) said on Friday that the cyclone was now drifting northwards.
Dr Andrew Myers, an oceanographer at BAS, said: “It is exciting to see A23a moving again after periods of disruption.
“We are interested to know whether it will take the same route as other large icebergs that have broken off from Antarctica.”
It is believed that A23a will eventually leave the Southern Ocean and enter the Atlantic Ocean where it will encounter warmer waters and likely break up into smaller icebergs and eventually melt.
Dr. Myers and BAS are studying the impact of icebergs on local ecosystems after they pass through.
A year ago, researchers on board RRS Sir David Attenborough collected data from the water around A23a.
“We know that these giant icebergs can provide nutrients to the water that passes through them, creating thriving ecosystems in less productive areas,” said Laura Taylor, a biogeochemist who was part of the crew.
“What we don’t know is what difference specific icebergs, their size and their origins can make in this process.”
