Petermann Glacier may release another large iceberg - Earth.com

Petermann Glacier may release another large iceberg

12-02-2020


Petermann Glacier may release another large iceberg Today’s Video of the Day from the USGS describes a rift that is expanding across the Petermann Glacier in northwestern Greenland. 

It is not unusual for large icebergs to break away from the Petermann Glacier, which recently occurred in both 2010 and 2012. Petermann Glacier may release another large iceberg as shown in the video above and could potentially be one of the largest one. A new rift was spotted on the glacier in 2017. Since then, imagery from both Landsat and Europe’s Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites show the rift lengthening and meeting up with and older crack. 

After a new rift was spotted on the glacier in 2017, images captured by the Landsat and Europe’s Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites have shown that the rift is getting longer and meeting up with and older crack. Also Like other glaciers that end in the ocean, Petermann periodically calves icebergs. A massive iceberg, or ice island, broke off of the Petermann Glacier in 2010. Nearly two years later, another chunk of ice has broken free. Therefore  indicates that the glacier was dynamically stable. 

At the current rate, the potential iceberg could exceed 150 square kilometers in size.

Video Credit: USGS 

By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer

News coming your way
The biggest news about our planet delivered to you each day