Satellite spies on doomed Antarctic ice shelf
Satellite images have revealed the collapse of Larsen B ice shelf on the Antarctic Peninsula fulfilling predictions made
by British Antarctic Survey (BAS) scientists. The collapse of the 3250 km² ice shelf is the latest drama in a region of
Antarctica that has experienced unprecedented warming over the last 50 years.
Satellite images have revealed the collapse of Larsen B ice shelf on the Antarctic Peninsula fulfilling predictions made
by British Antarctic Survey (BAS) scientists. The collapse of the 3250 km² ice shelf is the latest drama in a region of
Antarctica that has experienced unprecedented warming over the last 50 years.
Earlier this month Ted Scambos of the University of Colorado alerted BAS glaciologists David Vaughan and Chris Doake to
images from the NASA MODIS satellite. Meanwhile, in Antarctica Argentinian glaciologist Pedro Skvarca, realised
something was happening to the ice shelf and mobilised an aircraft to obtain aerial images confirming the satellite
data. While the collapse was still occurring the BAS research ship RRS James Clark Ross navigated her way through the
armada of icebergs to obtain photographs and samples.
Over the last month the 200-m thick ice shelf collapsed into small icebergs and fragments. Pooling these new
observations scientists will determine when such an event last happened and which ice shelves are threatened in future.
BAS glaciologist Dr David Vaughan said,
"In 1998, BAS predicted the demise of more ice shelves around the Antarctic Peninsula. Since then warming on the
peninsula has continued and we watched as piece-by-piece Larsen B has retreated. We knew what was left would collapse
eventually, but the speed of it is staggering. Hard to believe that 500 billion tonnes of ice sheet has disintegrated in
less than a month."
(Satellite Image courtesy of Ted Scambos, National Snow and Ice Data Center, University of Colorado) Progression of the
collapse of Larsen B from 1995 to the present. Back ground image acquired March 5, 2002 by the MODIS sensor on NASA's
Terra Satellite. (Image is approximately 300 x 300 km).
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