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Tides Found to Trigger Massive Antarctic Iceberg Breakups, Study Suggests
ANTARCTICA, JUL 24 – Research shows tides trigger iceberg calving from Antarctica's Brunt Ice Shelf, with icebergs up to 550 sq km breaking off at spring tides, aiding prediction efforts.
- In 2023, a 550-square-kilometer iceberg named A81 broke off the Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica and began drifting toward the Weddell Sea.
- The iceberg broke away during the highest spring tide, triggered by a combination of ocean tides, strong winds, and ice stress, according to new research led by Dr. Oliver Marsh published on July 24.
- Marsh, a glaciologist with the British Antarctic Survey, had studied the crack leading to A81 for years, visited the ice shelf after the break, and observed open water where ice had previously extended widely.
- He said, "It was sad to see it go, in a way," and predicted a huge iceberg breakoff is imminent within weeks to months, while emphasizing iceberg calving is a natural but still difficult to predict process.
- Scientists warn ice sheets are melting faster due to human-driven climate change, and while A81 drifts toward an important wildlife area near South Georgia island, its future path and impact remain uncertain.
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Tides could help predict when huge icebergs break loose: study
Ocean tides can trigger city-sized icebergs to break off from Antarctic ice shelves, scientists said on Thursday, offering a potential way to predict these dramatic events in the future.
Tides found to trigger massive Antarctic iceberg breakups, study suggests - Tech and Science Post
Ocean tides can trigger city-sized icebergs to break off from Antarctic ice shelves, scientists said on Thursday, offering a potential way to predict these dramatic events in the future. It is not normally possible to forecast when icebergs break free, or calve, although the timing is important because these behemoths change the shape of ice sheets and affect global sea levels. Yet when a chunk of ice the size of Greater London suddenly broke of…
Paris, 24 Jul 2025 (AFP) – Ocean tides can cause large icebergs of the Antarctic continent to break, according to researchers on Thursday, who believe that the phenomenon may be predictable. It is not theoretically possible to know when a break in the ice can occur, while the event is likely to change notably the level [...]
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