November 17, 2021 - Icebergs A69A, A69B, A69C floating off Larsen-D Ice Shelf
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Icebergs are common sights in both Antarctica and the Arctic, where
they are “born” as large pieces of ice break off from glaciers, ice
shelves or a larger iceberg, usually in the warmer days of summer. This
also is the season in which they float along ocean currents, sometimes
smashing into the shore, hanging up in shallow waters, or breaking up
into smaller pieces. As winter’s frigid temperatures return, ice bergs
are often literally frozen in place as sea ice covers the surrounding
waters.
In the summer of 2020, Antarctica’s Larsen-D Ice Shelf calved a new
iceberg. The U.S. National Ice Center (USNIC) confirmed the calving on
June 26 and gave the location of the new iceberg, dubbed A-69, at
68°59’ South, 60°38’ West in the Weddell Sea. At that time, the iceberg
measured about 21.9 miles (35.2 km) on its longest axis and 11.5 miles
(18.5 km) on its widest axis, with an area of about 179 square miles
(463.6 sq. km). Less than two weeks later, on July 7, USNIC confirmed
that the new iceberg had broken into two ‘bergs large enough to warrant
a name. At that time, A-69A measured about 11.5 miles (18.5 km) by 10.4
mi (16.7 km). The smaller section was dubbed A-69B and measured about
11.5 miles (18.5 km) by 8 miles (12.9 km). Both were floating in the
Weddell Sea and remained close to each other.
More than a year after initial calving, on October 28, 2021, another
large piece split off of A-69B, breaking it nearly in half. The USNIC
reported this third ‘berg was named A-69C and estimated it size as
about 11.5 miles (18.5 km) by 3.5 mi (5.6 km). At that time, A-69C is
located at 66°51’ South, 59°39’ West, in the Weddell Sea.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board
NASA’s Terra satellite caught up with the iceberg family adrift in the
Weddell Sea and acquired a true-color image of the ‘bergs on November
15. The three largest chunks of ice sit on the edge of open water,
partially surrounded by melting sea ice, bergy bits, growlers, and
other smaller bits of ice. USNIC uses satellite data to monitor
icebergs floating near Antarctica. However, it only tracks (and names)
icebergs larger than 5,400 square feet (500 square meters).
Image Facts
Satellite: Aqua
Date Acquired: 11/15/2021
Resolutions: 1km (34.4 KB), 500m (121.8 KB), 250m (393.5
KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2021-11-17
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