Antarctica: A massive iceberg breaks off but it's normal in nature

A giant iceberg, more than 600-square-mile, in Antarctica broke off recently. However, scientists say that the event is very common and natural, and is not related to climate change. 

315 billion tons of ice falls

On the basis of recent observations by the European and American satellites, the iceberg D28 broke away from the Amery ice shelf between September 24 and 25.  

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According to the reports released by the European Copernicus program, the iceberg measured 1,582 square kilometers (610 square miles), and is about 210 meters (yards) thick and contains 315 billion tons of ice, American glaciologist Helen Amanda Fricker confirmed.  

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Shouldn't confuse it with climate change

She also added that although these icebergs are huge, yet their production is part of the normal cycle of ice shelves, which are an extension of the ice cap. Fricker, a professor at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California explained that ice shelves have to lose mass because in order to gain mass as they want to stay the same size.  

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The process of gaining mass starts when the snow falling on the continent and glaciers slowly settle towards the shore. However, whatever happened in the east of Antarctica, where D28 broke off, is very different from the western parts of Greenland, which are rapidly warming due to climate change. 

Professor Fricker also mentioned that what really matters is that the public should be aware of the fact that these incidents are quite normal in nature, and should not confuse it with climatic change. An iceberg that was three times larger broke off Antarctica two years ago, which had caused panic in the minds of people for a long time. 

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It's a fine line because we definitely don't want people to think that climate change isn't happening, but however this incident is nowhere related to global warming or any alternative reaon, Fricker added.