Researchers reported over the weekend that an iceberg the size of Maui Island in Hawaii has broken into three pieces in the frigid conditions of Antarctica.
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Iceberg B-15A |
The iceberg, named B-15A, has fractured into three separate icebergs known as B-15M, B-15N, and B-15P. The two largest icebergs, B-15M and B-15N, are comparable in size to Grand Cayman and St. Croix islands.
This marks the 13th, 14th, and 15th breaks of B-15A since its initial calving on May 30, 2000.
The B-15 iceberg, which is 160 kilometers long, is considered the largest piece of ice on the planet.
B-15A has been wreaking havoc in the Ross Sea for several months, crashing into the coastline and leaving behind massive ice fragments the size of cities.
In January 2004, in McMurdo Sound, this colossal iceberg obstructed ocean currents and caused ice to accumulate, threatening the balance of the local ecosystem.
The recent break was detected through satellite imagery from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, managed by researchers at the National Ice Center (NIC).
