NASA spots perfectly rectangular iceberg in Antarctica
- 5 years ago
ANTARCTICA — A ridiculously rectangular iceberg was spotted last October 16, and there's only one question on everyone's minds: is it real?
NASA's Operation IceBridge photographed a tabular iceberg during a flyover over Antarctica. It's believed to have fractured from the Larsen C ice shelf in May, reports the Washington Post.
Unlike an angular iceberg which usually has just the tip sticking out, tabular icebergs have a flat surface and steep, vertical sides.
NASA and University of Maryland scientist Kelly Brunt explained to LiveScience that tabular icebergs form when an ice shelf grows out like a fingernail and calves off, often resulting in straight, geometric lines
The iceberg's sharp corners are an indication that its new, since wind and waves usually round it out.
The iceberg hasn't been measured, but is likely to be more than a mile across. It's definitely not the biggest one ever recorded, however, that distinction belongs to Iceberg B-15, which was 183 miles long and 23 miles wide.
NASA's Operation IceBridge photographed a tabular iceberg during a flyover over Antarctica. It's believed to have fractured from the Larsen C ice shelf in May, reports the Washington Post.
Unlike an angular iceberg which usually has just the tip sticking out, tabular icebergs have a flat surface and steep, vertical sides.
NASA and University of Maryland scientist Kelly Brunt explained to LiveScience that tabular icebergs form when an ice shelf grows out like a fingernail and calves off, often resulting in straight, geometric lines
The iceberg's sharp corners are an indication that its new, since wind and waves usually round it out.
The iceberg hasn't been measured, but is likely to be more than a mile across. It's definitely not the biggest one ever recorded, however, that distinction belongs to Iceberg B-15, which was 183 miles long and 23 miles wide.