The displacement of A23a, the world's largest iceberg, from the Weddell Sea into the waters of the Antarctic Ocean has caused a stir around the world.. This mass of ice, which weighs almost a trillion tons, separated from the Antarctic coast 37 years ago and subsequently settled in the Weddell Sea, becoming an 'ice island'.. In 2020, scientists detected that the iceberg began to move, but in recent months this movement has accelerated with the help of winds and ocean currents, as reported by the BBC.. Faced with these facts, people wonder the reasons why the iceberg has moved and the consequences it could have.

Colossal dimensions

As reported by the aforementioned British media, the iceberg has a surface area of 3,900 square kilometers, which means that it is twice as large as Tenerife and approximately the same size as Mallorca.. It has a volume of 1,100 cubic kilometers and a mass of almost a billion tons.. Its thickness is about 280 meters. However, it should be noted that this block of ice is not uniform, so some parts are thicker than others.

Why has it moved?

Apparently, the reasons behind the iceberg's movement have nothing to do with a change in temperature in the waters.. As Andrew Fleming, a remote sensing expert at the British Antarctic Survey research center, told the BBC, after consulting with his colleagues about the reason why the iceberg is moving, he came to the conclusion that “the time had simply come.”

Probable final destination

Like the rest of the icebergs located in this area, “A23a is likely to be dragged by the Antarctic Circumpolar Current towards 'iceberg alley',” indicates the British Antarctic Survey center on its website.. This means that it will probably continue heading towards the subantarctic island of South Georgia, where about 1,000 people reside, although not permanently due to its remoteness and lack of infrastructure.

Consequences and benefits

According to the British channel, the possible movement of the iceberg to the island could harm its fauna, which consists of millions of seals, penguins and other birds.. Specifically, the feeding routes of the species that reproduce on the island could be affected.. However, they also remember that all icebergs end up melting and that this is beneficial for the environment since “they release the mineral dust that was incorporated into their ice when they were part of glaciers”, which is a source of nutrients for many. organisms.