Mammoth Icebergs Could Alter Ocean Currents, Weather
An iceberg about the size of Luxembourg, which struck a glacier off Antarctica dislodging another massive block of ice, could lower oxygen levels in the world’s oceans, affect ocean currents and even change global weather patterns.
With the equivalent of the world’s annual freshwater consumption frozen in these slow moving islands of ice, scientists believe it could take up to 30 years to reach warm enough waters where the bergs will melt away.
Right now, the freshly-calved iceberg that broke off from the Mertz Glacier in eastern Antarctica, is floating in the Southern Ocean with the larger iceberg which broke off in 1987. Both icebergs are heading in the general direction of Australia and New Zealand.
During the International Polar Year, scientists outfitted the new iceberg with GPS beacons so they can study the calving of large icebergs and measure their environmental impact. The two-year study is called Cooperative Research into Antarctic Calving and Iceberg Evolution or CRACICE.
One Response to “Mammoth Icebergs Could Alter Ocean Currents, Weather”
Leave a Reply
So why doesn’t some money rich, water poor country (Mid-East I’m talking about you.) “Mine” this big piece of ice and take it home?
They could put some motors on it to keep it in the cold of the antarctic to keep it from melting while they cut it up and take it home.
Green the desert.