![]() “Since the early 1990s, the Pine Island Glacier’s ice velocity has increased dramatically to values which exceed 10 meters (or 30 feet) a day,” the space agency said in a news release. Two large rifts in PIG were spotted in 2019 and scientists have kept a close eye on the cracks and changes.īut it has been losing ice over the past 25 years. ![]() This phenomenon of calving isn’t new for Pine Island Glacier, according to the ESA. iubE8JffVR- Copernicus EU February 10, 2020 and 01 Oct., 4 months ago, when large cracks became apparent. □□The Pine Island glacier in #Antarctica □□ has finally calved, creating many large icebergs!Ĭheck out these #Sentinel1 □️□□ captures from yesterday 09 Feb., last week 05 Feb. The largest of them was so big, it was even given a name: B-49.ĭrinkwater suggested this was due to the continuing instability of the ice shelf, with greater levels of warm water under the glacier causing even greater disruption at the base of it. The region holds enough ice to raise global sea levels by 1.2 meters, or 4 feet, according to NASA.Įarlier this month, the European Union’s Copernicus Sentinel satellite mission, which is implemented in partnership with ESA, captured cracks appearing and “rapidly” growing over a number of days.Īnd only a few days later, the glacier, also referred to as PIG, “spawned piglets,” ESA said – in a process known as calving – and “many large” icebergs were formed. Pine Island Glacier, along with its neighbor Thwaites Glacier, effectively act as arteries connecting the West Antarctic ice sheet to the ocean. He pointed to an “imbalance” in the glacial system, which meant the impacts of warming temperatures, warmer ocean water and declining of snowfall were not allowing the glacier to replenish itself. Record melting sees Swiss glaciers shrink 10% in five years The mighty Aletsch - the largest glacier in the Alps - could completely disappear by the end of this century if nothing is done to rein in climate change, a study showed on Septemby ETH technical university in Zurich. A photo taken on Octoshows the Aletsch glacier above Bettmeralp in the Swiss Alps.
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