Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey and the University of Sheffield examined the impact of supergiant iceberg A-68 on the environment. They found that the floating block of ice had a serious impact on the ecology of the area. To work published In the scientific journal Geophysical Research Letters (GRL).
A-68 is a massive ice field the size of Luxembourg that broke away from Antarctica’s Larsen Ice Shelf in 2017. In 2020, it began to break down and melt, releasing enormous amounts of fresh water.
Using satellite data, researchers discovered that meltwater causes extreme temperature anomalies and changes in ocean salinity that have never before been observed on such a large scale. Scientists recorded a drop in average temperature of 4.5 °C and a decrease in salt concentration by a third compared to normal.
The water from the melting iceberg turned into a long plume that stretched more than 1 thousand km across the South Atlantic. It also had a significant impact on the ecology of the ocean by promoting the growth of phytoplankton due to the dissolved iron contained in the ice.
“Climate change will likely cause more giant icebergs to calve in the future. It is important for us to monitor this so that future impacts on ocean circulation and seabed biology and geology can be assessed and predicted,” said Professor Grant Bigg from the University of Sheffield.
Previously, scientists had discovered Antarctica loss Ice over an area comparable to the size of Argentina.