Scientists have discovered fingerprints of city-sized icebergs off the coast of the UK, dating back over 18,000 years. Researchers found scratch marks left by massive icebergs that gouged deep tracks into the North Sea floor during this period. The findings provide crucial clues about how climate change is affecting Antarctica today.
Using detailed 3D seismic data, scientists searched for evidence of giant icebergs and discovered comb-like grooves on the seafloor. These marks were created by the keels of large icebergs that broke off the British-Irish ice sheet. The researchers estimated that these icebergs could be up to tens of kilometers wide and 50-180 meters thick.
The discovery sheds light on how climate change may impact Antarctica’s ice shelves, which play a crucial role in holding back glacier flow into the ocean. If ice shelves collapse, glaciers can speed up, leading to sea level rise worldwide. The researchers’ findings suggest that the sudden disintegration of Britain’s former ice shelves around 18,000 years ago led to an abrupt shift in iceberg production.
The study’s lead author, James Kirkham, believes that understanding how Antarctica responded to past climate changes can inform predictions about its future response to warming temperatures. “These ocean records are fascinating and have implications for Antarctica,” he said. However, the exact relationship between ice shelf collapse and glacier retreat remains unclear, with warmer air and ocean temperatures also playing a significant role.
The discovery of these giant icebergs provides a unique window into the past, allowing scientists to better understand the complex relationships between climate change, ice shelves, and sea level rise.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2xz664r2do