So, there's this iceberg.........

[cynthia]

So, there\'s this iceberg.........

bigger than Cyprus (R4); 40miles x 53 miles (Guardian), which has broken free in the Antarctica south of the Pacific Ocean. Any guesses (informed) about how long it will last, and where it might get to?

Got no idea myself, but wouldn't be surprised if some of you lot do!

 

[Guest]

Re: So, there\'s this iceberg.........

No, but was amazed to hear on the BBC that it had broken off Antarctica's east coast.

Surely Antarctica has only a north coast?

William Cooper

 

[Guest]

Re: So, there\'s this iceberg.........

There's a sticky up bit part way round so the burg probably fell off

 

[tcm]

Re: aargh

it must be heading north - towards us!

 

[Miker]

Re: It\'ll hit Oz first.

Probably end up in Port Phillip Bay and solve the water shortage which we keep hearing about on this BB.

 

[chas]

Re: So, there\'s this iceberg.........

Could it not be disguised as Gibraltar and given to Spain?

 

[davel]

Re: So, there\'s this iceberg.........

Just think of the size of the G&T you could use it for!

Dave L.
Location: 50 51.0 N 1 18.6 W

 

[Chris_Stannard]

Re: So, there\'s this iceberg.........

Not quite right Bill, the Antarctic has a couple of sticky out bits, the Graham Land penisular for one.
For the serious minded the weather patterns will hold the berg South of about 50 South. If it reaches a patch of water less than 100 fathoms (600 feet) it will go aground as the bergs down there are formed by the pressure of ice on the continental ice shelves pushing the edges out into the water. This gives them the tabular shape that you see in photographs. The tabular bergs are formed of compressed snow, rather than frozen water as in the Arctic, and therefore they are somewhat less dense and float with 20% (150 feet) out of the water and 80% below the water.
As to how long it will last the answer can only be a very long time. By my calculations the weight of the berg will be around 880 Billion tonnes of water. As if my hazy memory of school boy pyshics serves me each gram requires about 18 calories latent heat to convert from ice to water plus of course a further 1 calorie to raise it each degree from its current temparture to freezing point. Thats a lot of sunshine which is in short supply down there.
Still it must be quite a sight and makes me go all nostalgic.


Chris Stannard

 

[Guest]

Re: So, there\'s this iceberg.........

I reckon it's heading for a cheese & whine party in Guildford.

 

[johndf]

Big area, small bergs

A large area of the Larsen ice shelf has collapsed, but into lots of smallish bergs, not one giant one. there are not going to be any massive bergs moving Northwards, just loads of little ones. See http://www-nsidc.colorado.edu/iceshelves/larsenb2002/index.html for a detailed article.

There is a massive berg, but that carved off the Ross Ice Shelf, a long way from the Larsen. That one has gone aground in the Ross Sea to the North of McMurdo Sound and was making life very difficult for Emperor penguins trying to get food for their young.

 

[cynthia]

You lot are truly wonderful

nm

 

[jimi]

Re: Big area, small bergs

I wonder what happens when a whale goes for a swim, dives deep, pops up for a quick breather, discovers a sodding great iceberg is in the way. Will he or she have enough oxygen left to swim clear or can they detect that there is a blockage above?

 

[Buck]

Re: Big area, small bergs

They have a large fluid filled gland on their forehead that they use in conjunction with vocal emanations as a type of sonar.

Buck

the past is past, only the future can change.