The world's largest iceberg has broken-up after an 18-year-long journey from Antarctica towards the equator.
The world's largest iceberg has broken-up after an 18-year-long journey from Antarctica towards the equator.
After breaking away from Antarctica's Ross Ice Shelf, the behemoth floated along three-quarters of the way around Antarctica, some 6,600 miles (10,000 kilometres).
However, the latest images from the International Space Station have revealed that the 4,250 square mile (11,000 square kilometres) island of ice has now drifted north of South Georgia in the South Atlantic Ocean.
As the immense iceberg now heads into warmer waters, Nasa has predicted that it is likely to disappear.
- The massive iceberg broke away from Antarctica's Ross Ice Shelf in March 2000
- It has travelled 6,600 miles on its journey towards the equator
- Once 4,250 square miles in size, Nasa now believes the immense iceberg is about to melt, as it heads towards warmer tropical waters
In March 2000, the iceberg - which is larger than the island of Jamaica - broke away from the main continent.
Scientists had never seen an iceberg of its size and named it B-15.
Since then, the iceberg has spent most of its time floating in the frigid waters around the Antarctic.
However, in the last 12-months or so, it was caught in northerly currents which changed its trajectory, Nasa said.
Since then, the iceberg has broken down into several smaller chunks.
A piece that broke off the Larsen C Ice Shelf last year was about the size of Bali.
Today, only four blocks of ice larger than 20 square nautical miles remain.
If the chunks of iceberg get any smaller, it will be impossible for them to be tracked by the US National Ice Centre.
The largest of these, named B-15Z, measures 50 square nautical miles - 10 nautical miles long and 5 nautical miles wide.
B-15Z currently has a large fracture in the middle and several smaller pieces are already falling away.
'When the May 2018 photograph was acquired, the berg was about 150 nautical miles northwest of the South Georgia islands,' Nasa's Earth Observatory said in a statement on Friday.
Icebergs have been known to rapidly melt once they drift into these warm waters.
According to Nasa glaciologist Kelly Brunt, explained how they melt once they reach this area.
She said: 'They tend to pond with water, which then works its way through the iceberg like a set of knives.'
After breaking away from Antarctica's Ross Ice Shelf, the behemoth floated along three-quarters of the way around Antarctica, some 6,600 miles (10,000 kilometres).
However, the latest images from the International Space Station have revealed that the 4,250 square mile (11,000 square kilometres) island of ice has now drifted north of South Georgia in the South Atlantic Ocean.
As the immense iceberg now heads into warmer waters, Nasa has predicted that it is likely to disappear.
- The massive iceberg broke away from Antarctica's Ross Ice Shelf in March 2000
- It has travelled 6,600 miles on its journey towards the equator
- Once 4,250 square miles in size, Nasa now believes the immense iceberg is about to melt, as it heads towards warmer tropical waters
In March 2000, the iceberg - which is larger than the island of Jamaica - broke away from the main continent.
Scientists had never seen an iceberg of its size and named it B-15.
Since then, the iceberg has spent most of its time floating in the frigid waters around the Antarctic.
However, in the last 12-months or so, it was caught in northerly currents which changed its trajectory, Nasa said.
Since then, the iceberg has broken down into several smaller chunks.
A piece that broke off the Larsen C Ice Shelf last year was about the size of Bali.
Today, only four blocks of ice larger than 20 square nautical miles remain.
If the chunks of iceberg get any smaller, it will be impossible for them to be tracked by the US National Ice Centre.
The largest of these, named B-15Z, measures 50 square nautical miles - 10 nautical miles long and 5 nautical miles wide.
B-15Z currently has a large fracture in the middle and several smaller pieces are already falling away.
'When the May 2018 photograph was acquired, the berg was about 150 nautical miles northwest of the South Georgia islands,' Nasa's Earth Observatory said in a statement on Friday.
Icebergs have been known to rapidly melt once they drift into these warm waters.
According to Nasa glaciologist Kelly Brunt, explained how they melt once they reach this area.
She said: 'They tend to pond with water, which then works its way through the iceberg like a set of knives.'