B15A - Definition and Overview

B15A is an Antarctic ice floe, currently the largest moving object on Earth. It is part of a larger iceberg which broke loose from the Antarctic mainland in 2000 and itself broke in two in November 2003. As of December 2004, B15A is 76 miles (122 km) long, 17 miles (27 km) wide, and covers 1200 square miles (3100 square kilometres) i.e. approximately the size of Long Island, New York, USA. It has been estimated to contain enough fresh water to supply the needs of the United Kingdom for 60 years.

It is preventing ocean currents and winds from assisting in the summer break-up of the sea ice in McMurdo Sound, and is an obstacle to the annual resupply ships to three research stations. The floe is likely to cause a catastrophic decline in the population of Adelie Penguins, as it is adding considerable distances which parent penguins must travel back from the sea to their chicks.

It was predicted that B15A would impact the Drygalski Ice Tongue and cause the Ice Tongue to break off, or at least cause substantial crumbling of the edges of both features. However B15A apparently ran aground approximately 5 kilometers before impact.

External links

• The Iceberg Cometh (http://www.guardian.co.uk/antarctic/story/0,13993,1374005,00.html), The Guardian, 15 December 2004.
• Get Ready for the Largest Demolition Derby on the Planet (http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/ice_berg_ram.html), NASA, 6 January 2005.
• NASA Earth Observatory images, November - December 2004 (http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=16759)
• Huge Iceberg heading for collision (http://tvnz.co.nz/view/news_technology_story_skin/468395%3fformat=html), TV New Zealand, 13 January 2005.