Giant iceberg off New Zealand.

karl_1052 · 12-09-2009, 01:42 PM

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science...erg/index.html

CNN) -- A massive iceberg -- more than twice the size of New York's Manhattan island -- is drifting slowly toward Australia, scientists said Wednesday.

The iceberg, measuring 140 square km (54 square miles), cleaved off an ice shelf nearly 10 years ago and had been floating near Antarctica before commencing on its unusual journey north.

Named B17B, it was about 1,700 km (1,056 miles) off the coast of West Australia, according to the country's Antarctic Division.

"B17B is a very significant one in that it has drifted so far north while still largely intact," said Australian Antarctic Division glaciologist Neal Young, who spotted the slab using satellite images taken by NASA and the European Space Agency.

"It's one of the biggest sighted at those latitudes."

It is unlikely to drift too close to the coast in its current form, Young said. The warmer waters will cause it to melt.

"As the water warms up, the iceberg is slowly breaking up, resulting in hundreds more smaller icebergs in the area," Young said on the Australian Antarctic Division Web site.

In November, an iceberg estimated to be 500 meters wide and 50 meters high was spotted close to Macquarie Island in the southern Pacific drifting towards New Zealand.

Scientists working on the island were astounded by its size.

"We pulled out the binoculars that we use for work on the seals and, sure enough, it was a huge floating island of ice basically and, yeah, it was an incredible sight," Australian researcher Dean Miller told CNN affiliate TVNZ.

The Australian Antarctic Division said the iceberg was part of a flotilla that would have broken off from a larger ice flow that possibly came from the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica's largest.

Although shipping lanes in this region are not particularly busy in November, the icebergs prompted Maritime New Zealand to issue navigation warnings.

Three years earlier, another family of icebergs led to a small tourist boom when they drifted along the east coast of New Zealand's South Island.

Oceanographer Mike Williams told Radio New Zealand the icebergs had "pretty much the same origin" but that some had probably been trapped in the icy seas of Antarctica for longer, before being carried north by the currents.

However he was reluctant to cite global warming as the reason for the large-scale movement of ice. "We do have to a change our position a little because in 2006 we thought this was a 'once in a lifetime' event.

"But large ice shelf carvings, where the ice comes from, are still only carving on a 30 to 50-year period."

shmike · 12-09-2009, 01:49 PM

That is a BIG ice cube.

I wonder how dramatically it affects the water surrounding it and how big the affected radius is.

Rider · 12-09-2009, 02:07 PM

Pretty cool.

shmike · 12-09-2009, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rider

Pretty cool.

njchopper87 · 12-09-2009, 03:16 PM

That looks pretty cool just floating on by there like that.

derf · 12-09-2009, 07:18 PM

So are we scared that its gonna sink australia?

101lifts2 · 12-12-2009, 01:09 AM

I think it will melt before it hits Aussieland. lol

askmrjesus · 12-12-2009, 01:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 101lifts2

I think it will melt before it hits Aussieland. lol

You voted for Al Gore, didn't you.

That's not actually a question.

JC

Adeptus_Minor · 12-12-2009, 02:15 AM

Let's start breaking those off and floating them into areas of the ocean that need cooling.
That'll teach that nasty old global warming thingy

12-09-2009, 01:42 PM	#1
karl_1052 sergeant hatred Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Ottawa Moto: The bus Posts: 2,723	Giant iceberg off New Zealand. http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science...erg/index.html CNN) -- A massive iceberg -- more than twice the size of New York's Manhattan island -- is drifting slowly toward Australia, scientists said Wednesday. The iceberg, measuring 140 square km (54 square miles), cleaved off an ice shelf nearly 10 years ago and had been floating near Antarctica before commencing on its unusual journey north. Named B17B, it was about 1,700 km (1,056 miles) off the coast of West Australia, according to the country's Antarctic Division. "B17B is a very significant one in that it has drifted so far north while still largely intact," said Australian Antarctic Division glaciologist Neal Young, who spotted the slab using satellite images taken by NASA and the European Space Agency. "It's one of the biggest sighted at those latitudes." It is unlikely to drift too close to the coast in its current form, Young said. The warmer waters will cause it to melt. "As the water warms up, the iceberg is slowly breaking up, resulting in hundreds more smaller icebergs in the area," Young said on the Australian Antarctic Division Web site. In November, an iceberg estimated to be 500 meters wide and 50 meters high was spotted close to Macquarie Island in the southern Pacific drifting towards New Zealand. Scientists working on the island were astounded by its size. "We pulled out the binoculars that we use for work on the seals and, sure enough, it was a huge floating island of ice basically and, yeah, it was an incredible sight," Australian researcher Dean Miller told CNN affiliate TVNZ. The Australian Antarctic Division said the iceberg was part of a flotilla that would have broken off from a larger ice flow that possibly came from the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica's largest. Although shipping lanes in this region are not particularly busy in November, the icebergs prompted Maritime New Zealand to issue navigation warnings. Three years earlier, another family of icebergs led to a small tourist boom when they drifted along the east coast of New Zealand's South Island. Oceanographer Mike Williams told Radio New Zealand the icebergs had "pretty much the same origin" but that some had probably been trapped in the icy seas of Antarctica for longer, before being carried north by the currents. However he was reluctant to cite global warming as the reason for the large-scale movement of ice. "We do have to a change our position a little because in 2006 we thought this was a 'once in a lifetime' event. "But large ice shelf carvings, where the ice comes from, are still only carving on a 30 to 50-year period." __________________ My wife was afraid of the dark...then she saw me naked and now she's afraid of the light.

12-09-2009, 01:49 PM	#2
shmike Follower Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 5,549	That is a BIG ice cube. I wonder how dramatically it affects the water surrounding it and how big the affected radius is. __________________ Racing For Smiles

12-09-2009, 07:18 PM	#6
derf token jewboy Join Date: Nov 2008 Moto: CBR 900, KLR ugly ass duckling, Gas Man Posts: 10,799	So are we scared that its gonna sink australia? __________________

12-12-2009, 01:09 AM	#7
101lifts2 WSB Champion Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Anaheim, CA Moto: 2009 Kawi ZX6R Posts: 5,570	I think it will melt before it hits Aussieland. lol __________________ Train Hard Ron Paul - 2012 Mark of Excellence GM

12-12-2009, 02:15 AM	#9
Adeptus_Minor Hopster Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Austin, TX Moto: 2009 Buell 1125R Posts: 4,743	Let's start breaking those off and floating them into areas of the ocean that need cooling. That'll teach that nasty old global warming thingy __________________ “Well, obviously before; after was all gendarmes and dick stitches.”

12-09-2009, 02:07 PM	#3
Rider Moto GP Star Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 12,156	Pretty cool.