3 November 2011

The PIG has A Problem- Pine Island Glacier In Antarctica Develops Huge Crack

Posted by Dan Satterfield

 

The crack in Pine Island Glacier- image from NASA.

Big news from Antarctica, where it is very early spring. The Pine Island Glacier has developed a huge crack and is being monitored closely. NASA has a great video with the details:

It’s normal for ice shelves break off icebergs as they reach the sea, but the rate they do so is of intense interest to those who are studying the climate of Antarctica. If this crack breaks off, then a berg of over 800 square kilometers will be floating off the coast. Researchers say this will be the biggest recession of the PIG since the 1940’s when it was first observed. More details here.