Massive ice island breaks off Greenland

A piece of ice four times the size of Manhattan island has broken away from an ice shelf in Greenland, according to scientists in the U.S.

The 260 square-kilometer (100 square miles) ice island separated from the Petermann Glacier in northern Greenland early on Thursday, researchers based at the University of Delaware said.

The ice island, which is about half the height of the Empire State Building, is the biggest piece of ice to break away from the Arctic icecap since 1962 and amounts to a quarter of the Petermann 70-kilometer floating ice shelf, according to research leader Andreas Muenchow.

"The freshwater stored in this ice island could keep the Delaware or Hudson rivers flowing for more than two years. It could also keep all U.S. public tap water flowing for 120 days," Muenchow said.

Muenchow's team is studying ice in the Nares Strait separating Greenland from Canada, about 1,000 kilometers south of the North Pole.

Satellite data from NASA's MODIS-Aqua satellite revealed the initial rupture which was confirmed within hours by Trudy Wohlleben of the Canadian Ice Service, according to the University of Delaware website.
RELATED TOPICS * Greenland * Arctic Circle * Canada * Global Climate Change

Muenchow said the island could block the Nares Strait as it drifts south, or break into smaller islands and continue towards the open waters of the Atlantic.

"In Nares Strait, the ice island will encounter real islands that are all much smaller in size," he said.

"The newly born ice island may become land-fast, block the channel, or it may break into smaller pieces as it is propelled south by the prevailing ocean currents. From there, it will likely follow along the coasts of Baffin Island and Labrador, to reach the Atlantic within the next two years."

Environmentalists say ice melt is being caused by global warming with Arctic temperatures in the 1990s reaching their warmest level of any decade in at least 2,000 years, according to a study published in 2009.

Current trends could see the Arctic Ocean become ice free in summer months within decades, researchers predict.

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• ice
• island
• breaks
• off
• Greenland

[Noemro]

"This is the United States down here" *points to Canada*

[purplishhue]

The chunk is just off the coast of Newfoundland now! vid on Newftube.com

[ALBIONTYKE]

They never showed the ice island in perspective. They showed a map of west Greenland & east Canada, then they showed a close up of the ice, proving nothing. AGW is for the socially engineered. In the meantime the planet gets poorer & poorer & the spoon fed cant see the link. It's long over due for the brainwashed to smell the coffee & face the real danger, that being engineered population reduction through food shortages & the end of true democracy.

The climate is always changing due to nature

[COMMYCABOOSE]

So I'm not one to point out flaws however;

"This is the United States down here." 0:50

No, that's Canada. Probably meant to point down further but he's in a hurry. =p

[RonnieRimjob]

@noemro

lol'd. this guys a fucking dumbass

[CONTRAHABS]

@rhenivhy10 Who are you kidding! We are screwed! Ever hear of Atlantis?

[Wildrosestands]

With the total destruction of the Loop Current and the ongoing destruction of the Gulf Stream, this is to be expected. Watch "The Day After Tomorrow". You can expect that we are only seeing the very first major effect of the oil spill, with this incident. I live near the shoreline in Florida, and I know damned well that my days here are numbered. Get a clue. No Loop Current or Atlantic Current means death to billions of human beings worldwide. Better pray for a rescue, and soon!

[drkstrong]

@Redpillvideo How about the Sun? Currently at low levels of activity - so likely no effect but if any it should be cooling due to the recent extended solar minimum.

Background radiation has not changed.

Solar wind blowing pretty much as it always has done - not much change there.

"Electromagnetic effects" do you mean light (i.e., electromagnetic radiation) or the magnetic fields produced by the Sun?

You should really get the terminology right if you wish to petend to be an expert!

[WilliamTarkovsky]

Time to think things over...

Check out my eco-videos here and my work on thebookofnewcreation[dot]co[do­t]uk!

William T.