This series of satellite images shows the Wilkins Ice Shelf as it begins to break up. The large image is from March 6. The images at right, from top to bottom, are from Feb. 28, Feb. 29 and March 8. The images were processed from the MODIS satellite sensor flying on NASA's Earth Observing System Aqua and Terra satellites. Images courtesy NSIDC, NASA, University of Colorado.
Em Physorg.com, as notícias sobre o comportamento mais recente dos bancos de gelo na península antárctica ocidental: Antarctic ice shelf disintegrating as result of climate change, say scientists. Início do artigo:
While the area of collapse involves 160 square miles at present, a large part of the 5,000-square-mile Wilkins Ice Shelf is now supported only by a narrow strip of ice between two islands, said CU-Boulder's Ted Scambos, lead scientist at NSIDC. "If there is a little bit more retreat, this last 'ice buttress' could collapse and we'd likely lose about half the total ice shelf area in the next few years."
In the past 50 years, the western Antarctic Peninsula has experienced the biggest temperature increase on Earth, rising by 0.9 degree F per decade. "We believe the Wilkins has been in place for at least a few hundred years, but warm air and exposure to ocean waves are causing a breakup," said Scambos, who first spotted the disintegration activity in March.
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