Birth of an Iceberg in Antarctica

Michael Studinger continue to observe the photographs from satellites and aircraft, which takes pictures Antarctic Continent. Together with his colleagues in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), he discusses the shots that show the sea ice at the South Pole.

On 15 October, members of Operation Ice Bridge NASA team is stunned; They see the ice crack in Pine Island Glacier (PIG). This area is part of the Ice Shelf in West Antarctica.

The next few days, cracks in the glacier is bigger and longer. "Currently we are witnessing the birth of the iceberg. It's very interesting to us," said Studinger, operations team members, two weeks ago.

Until earlier this month, is 32 kilometers long cracks with a depth of 60 meters. NASA scientists estimate the crack has an area of ​​880 square kilometers or about the size of New York City.

If crushed ice is separated from the ice shelf, then formed a new iceberg. Experts in the office of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., continues to examine these events through the satellites and airplanes.

The process of formation of a giant iceberg in Antarctica. (Picture from: KORAN TEMPO 3717)

They make such a crack growth projections. Pieces of ice will separate in late 2011 or early 2012 at the latest. The new iceberg will bergetak to the north, carried by wind and ocean currents.

According Studinger, these parts and natural processes as happened in 2001. He predicts the formation of an iceberg is part of the annual cycle of 10 glaciers in the region.

The emergence of a giant iceberg warrant concern. In addition to courses, floating icebergs that have an impact on the surrounding environment. Well against the habitat of living creatures in the sea or on it.

Cracks images taken from the DC-8 aircraft owned by NASA on October 26, 2011. (Picture from: http://www.planetoceanalliance.org/)

Pine Island Glacier glacier region itself becomes the focus of attention of scientists. Understandably, this region is very large and unstable. "Melt the ice faster and have a significant impact on global sea level rise in the next century," said Scott Borg, Director of the Division of Antarctic Sciences National Science Foundation (NSF). Together with NASA, the agency is doing research in Antarctica.

Photos taken on October 26, 2011. (Picture from: http://www.spaceref.com/)

Other than through the air, Operation Ice Bridge puts NASA instruments on Pine Island Glacier. To observe the cracks along the 29 km, for example, they use a tool called the Airborne Topographic Mapper.

This device uses a technology called "LIDAR" (LIght Detection And Ranging). This tool sends' laser beam to the surface and then reflecting it back into the device. Through advanced devices, experts observe the birth of an iceberg, and the impact of climate change in Antarctica. *** [UNTUNG WIDYANTO | NASA | LIVESCIENCE | BBC | KORAN TEMPO 3717]

Effect of Earthquake
Not only space, the Antarctic continent is also a concern the United States Space Agency (NASA). In this they held a Pole Selatah Operations, Ice Bridge.

When a devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan, in March, they detect the waves that reach the Antarctic. It turned out wave that crossed the Pacific Ocean makes the iceberg icebergs originating from separate Sulzberger.

In fact, during the last 46 years, experts have never meiihat Sulzberger ice moves. From satellite imagery, NASA experts have witnessed two of the iceberg-one for the City of Manhattan-floating in the sea.

In addition to the waves of a tsunami, earthquake vibrations cause cracks in the ice of Antarctica. As a result, mountains of ice appeared in the most extreme on Earth. *** [UWD | NASA | KORAN TEMPO 3717]

Kindly Bookmark and Share it: