An iceberg measuring 492 feet thick and 490 square miles and bigger than the size of New York City broke off an ice-shelf in Antarctica on Friday.
Ice-calving or iceberg calving is the process by which ice blocks break away from an ice shelf or the edge of a glacier. It is the sudden release and breaking away of a mass of ice.
"The iceberg was formed when the crack widened several hundred meters in a few hours on the morning of 26th Feb, releasing it from the rest of floating ice shelf," BAS noted in a press release.
Brunt Ice Shelf calves along North Rift chasm - A 1270 km² #iceberg has broken off the #BruntIceShelf.#HalleyVI Research Station is closed for the winter and unlikely to be affected. Full story: https://t.co/l13QrWdnB0 📽️ #NorthRift, #Antarctica, 16 Feb 2021, @BAS_News pic.twitter.com/QyNt7sVOzT — British Antarctic Survey (@BAS_News) February 26, 2021
Brunt Ice Shelf calves along North Rift chasm - A 1270 km² #iceberg has broken off the #BruntIceShelf.#HalleyVI Research Station is closed for the winter and unlikely to be affected. Full story: https://t.co/l13QrWdnB0 📽️ #NorthRift, #Antarctica, 16 Feb 2021, @BAS_News pic.twitter.com/QyNt7sVOzT