CryoSat

A satellite image of the giant iceberg A68, soon after it broke off from the Larsen C ice shelf

Environment

Giant A-68 iceberg dumped 152 billion tonnes of freshwater into the sea

The environmental impacts of iceberg A-68 are still being assessed. A new study has calculated that the largest chunk, A-68A, released billions of tonnes of freshwater into the sea near a marine nature reserve, with untold effects on the ecosystem.

An aerial view of the crack in the Larsen C ice shelf, which is due to soon break off into one of the largest icebergs ever recorded

Environment

Satellites keep watch as giant iceberg creeps closer to cracking

The Larson C ice shelf in Antarctica is creeping closer to breaking off, and when it does, it’s set to form one of the biggest icebergs on record. The ESA’s CryoSat is keeping watch from above, and scientists have now estimated the dimensions of this inevitable iceberg and where it might drift.

An artists impression of the ESA's CryoSat satellite (Image: ESA)

Environment

ESA's CryoSat data: Antarctica's ice sheet shrinking faster than ever

An analysis of data from the European Space Agency's (ESA) CryoSat satellite shows that ice loss in the Antarctic is increasing at an exponential rate. It is estimated that the polar region now loses 159 billion tonnes of ice each year.