The 1,270-square-kilometer glacier has detached from the Brant shelf after the area's cracks deepened over the past decade. • It is the size of Los Angeles and 20 times the size of Manhattan.
The crack in the Brunt ice shelf before the glacier disengaged
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Islands.
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Climate change: A
huge 1,270 square kilometer glacier broke off the Brant shelf in Antarctica yesterday (Friday), after years of deepening cracks in the area. The glacier is similar in size to the city of London and 20 times larger than the city of Manhattan.
Large cracks in the ice in this part of Antarctica were first discovered a decade ago, and since then scientists have been following developments in the region.
Brunt Ice Shelf calves along North Rift chasm - A 1270 km² #iceberg has broken off the # BruntIceShelf. # HalleyVI Research Station is closed for the winter and unlikely to be affected.
Full story: https://t.co/l13QrWdnB0
#NorthRift, #Antarctica, 16 Feb 2021, @BAS_News pic.twitter.com/QyNt7sVOzT
- British Antarctic Survey (@BAS_News) February 26, 2021
During January, the crack deepened by about a mile with each passing day, until yesterday, it opened hundreds of feet in a matter of hours and the glacier broke off.
The crack known as the "Northern Fragment" is the third major rift on the ice shelf in the past decade, so British Antarctic survey scientists (BAS) have predicted that the glacier is deep to detach from the continent soon.
A group of British scientists left the site during February for fear of disengagement.
Simon Garrod, director of operations at the British Antarctic Survey, said: "This is a dynamic situation. Four years ago we moved the research station to the mainland to ensure it does not drift when a glacier is formed. It was a wise decision. Our job now is to closely monitor the situation On the remaining ice shelf. "
