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ANTARCTICA — Experts are divided over the potential impact of the world’s largest iceberg, A23a, getting caught in a vortex near Antarctica, raising questions about whether the spinning will accelerate its melting or slow it down.
The iceberg, which broke away from the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf in 1986, had remained stationary for over three decades before it started moving with ocean currents in 2020. Recently, it became trapped in a vortex near the western part of the Weddell Sea and has been spinning there since early 2024.
Some experts believe this spinning will prevent the iceberg from drifting into warmer waters, slowing down its melting. However, others argue that the spinning could accelerate the melt due to increased heat exchange with the ocean.
Kate Hendry and Alexander Brearley from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) emphasized that the breakaway of A23a was a natural process unrelated to the current climate crisis. They noted that the iceberg had lost only a small portion of its area over the years and is now trapped in a Taylor column, a small-scale ocean circulation over an underwater mountain.
While the spinning does not inherently inhibit the iceberg’s melting, it prevents the iceberg from moving into warmer waters, which could slow down the melting process. The iceberg’s current position also poses a hazard to marine shipping, although it is closely monitored by satellite imagery.
On the other hand, Eric Rignot, an Earth scientist at the University of California, suggested that the spinning motion could lead to faster melting and eventual breakup of the iceberg due to increased heat exchange with the ocean. He emphasized that the melting is not directly related to climate change but is instead a result of the iceberg being in a warmer, saltier environment.
Meanwhile, Burcu Ozsoy from Türkiye’s TUBITAK Marmara Research Center’s Arctic Research Institute stated that A23a’s entrapment in the vortex means it will likely maintain its position for an extended period, reducing the likelihood of it moving to warmer regions and melting quickly.
The fate of A23a remains uncertain as scientists continue to monitor its behavior and the effects of the vortex on its melting rate. — Agencies
