The world’s largest iceberg, A23a, is expected to break apart within a month after escaping a whirlpool in December 2024. The iceberg, which calved from Antarctica’s Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf in 1986, had remained stationary for 34 years before ocean currents set it adrift in 2020. It recently spent nearly a year spinning in a whirlpool in the Weddell Sea.
Now moving toward Antarctica via the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, A23a’s melting is accelerating as it approaches warmer waters. British Antarctic Survey scientist Andrew Meijers explained that rising temperatures, driven by seasonal changes and climate warming, will hasten its breakup, likely near South Georgia.
A23a’s journey has ecological impacts: it enriches surface waters with nutrients, boosting marine food chains, but could disrupt feeding grounds for seals and penguins if it grounds near South Georgia. Additionally, the iceberg fragments may hinder commercial fishing and marine movement.
Meijers noted the rising frequency of iceberg calving due to increased ocean temperatures, potentially linked to human-driven climate change, highlighting the urgent need for ongoing research into Antarctica’s changing dynamics.
