B15A is an Antarcticice floe, currently the largest moving object on Earth. It is part of a larger iceberg which broke loose from the Antarctic mainland in 2000 and itself broke in two in November 2003. As of December 2004, B15A is 76 miles (122 km) long, 17 miles (27 km) wide, and covers 1200 square miles (3100 square kilometres) i.e. approximately the size of Long Island, New York, USA. It has been estimated to contain enough fresh water to supply the needs of the United Kingdom for 60 years.
It is preventing ocean currents and winds from assisting in the summer break_up of the sea ice in McMurdo Sound, and is an obstacle to the annual resupply ships to three research stations. The floe is likely to cause a catastrophic decline in the population of Adelie Penguins, as it is adding considerable distances which parent penguins must travel back from the sea to their chicks.
It was predicted that B15A would impact the Drygalski Ice Tongue and cause the Ice Tongue to break off, or at least cause substantial crumbling of the edges of both features. However B15A apparently ran aground approximately 5 kilometers before impact.
External links
The Iceberg Cometh (http://www.guardian.co.uk/antarctic/story/0,13993,1374005,00.html), The Guardian, 15 December2004.
I've blogged twice now about that wayward havoc-wreaking iceberg, B-15A, first when it was menacing penquins and researchers in the McMurdo Sound, and again when it was threatening to put on a show by colliding with an "ice tongue" extending from a larger glacier.
The first image we have was taken on January 3rd, B15A is clearly visible and looks remarkably like a very large American-style Aircraft Carrier.
Rather the presense of B15A is altering currents, which is, in turn, causing this activity.
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