307:, although it has been stated that this connection "looks set to collapse" as well. The breakaway is seen as firm evidence of the ongoing effects of warming. Temperatures in this region of Antarctica have risen by 2.5 degrees Celsius since the 1950s. Some scientists believe that the collapse of the weakened ice was triggered by increased wave action due to the current relative absence of sea ice, however, a prominent glaciologist, Doug MacAyeal, has said the trigger for the original break-up in March 2008 was likely the much longer wavelengths of ocean swells created by distant storms.
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away from the continent. What is left of the
Wilkins ice shelf is now connected by only a narrow beam of ice. At the end of May 2008, another break-off further reduced the width of the connecting ice strip from 6 to 2.7 km (3.7–1.7 mi). This second smaller event, with about 160 km (62 sq mi) of ice separating, was the first documented break-up that occurred in winter. The Wilkins Ice Shelf is not connected to inland glaciers in the same way as the
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263:(ESA) announced that the Wilkins Ice Shelf has lost around 2,000 square kilometres (770 sq mi) so far in 2008. A satellite image captured 26 November 2008 shows new rifts on the ice shelf that make it dangerously close to breaking away from the strip of ice—and the islands to which it is connected, the ESA said.
302:
collapsed. The break occurred at the thinnest point in the 40-kilometre-long (25 mi) bridge and was the first in any of the sections that connect it to the mainland. While only a section has broken away, some scientists predicted that another large section of the
Wilkins Ice Shelf was only days
270:
reported that the ice shelf could collapse into the ocean within "weeks or months". The shelf was then only held up by a very thin strip of ice (varying from 2 km to 500 meters at the narrowest), which made it very vulnerable to cracks and fissures. If the strip were to break, it would release
247:
On 25 March 2008 a 405 km (156 sq mi) chunk of the
Wilkins ice shelf disintegrated, putting an even larger portion of the glacial ice shelf at risk. Scientists were surprised when they discovered the rest of the 14,000 km (5,400 sq mi) ice shelf is beginning to break
243:
is likely to become more prevalent in these surface waters and continue to play an ever-increasing role in driving this fragile ecosystem." In 2008 David
Vaughan conceded his predictions had been too conservative and that events on the ground were moving quicker than he anticipated.
314:(10,991 km, 4,244 sq mi), does completely break away from land it would be the largest one to do so, thus far. In the month of April 2009 alone, approximately 700 square kilometers (about 270.3 square miles) has broken off Wilkins Sound since the collapse of the ice bridge.
275:(about 14,000 km). Satellite evidence from 2 April 2009 led ESA analysts to conclude that the collapse of the strip (which would result in a partial break-away from the Antarctic Peninsula) was "imminent". Pursuant to this determination, ESA's
205:
about 80 nautical miles (150 km) long and 60 nautical miles (110 km) wide (150 by 110 km (93 by 68 mi)). This feature occupies the central part of
Wilkins Sound, from which it takes its name. The name was proposed by the
161:
On 5 April 2009 the thin bridge of ice to
Charcot Island splintered, and scientists expect it could cause the collapse of the Shelf. There are reports the shelf has exploded into hundreds of small
228:(BAS) predicted that the northern part of the Wilkins ice shelf was likely to be lost within 30 years if climate warming on the Peninsula were to continue at the same rate.
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satellite is observing the area on a daily basis. The satellite acquisitions are updated automatically to monitor the developments immediately as they occur. Additionally
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150:) and thereby indirectly discovered this feature. The existence of Latady Island at the southwest side of the sound was determined in 1960 by D.J.H. Searle of
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The disintegration of the fringe of the ice shelf, weakened by previous breakups, has continued in March 2013.
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satellites overfly the area several times a day and some of the images acquired are also available.
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138:. The configuration of the sound was determined in 1940 on exploratory flights by the
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The US state of
Connecticut is 5,543 sq mi (14,360 km), the island of
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in 2002 stated, "Because air temperatures are statistically increasing along the
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Scientists at the
University of Colorado at Boulder offered the first alert. (
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625:"Collapse of the ice bridge supporting Wilkins Ice Shelf appears imminent"
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Its northern portion was first seen and roughly mapped in 1910 by the
747:"Antarctic ice shelf half the size of Scotland on verge of collapse"
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away from completely breaking off. The shelf remains connected to
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647:"ESA - Observing the Earth - Keeping an eye on Wilkins Ice Shelf"
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154:(FIDS) by examination of air photos taken by the 1947–48
146:, who in 1929 first proved "Charcot Land" to be an island (see
555:"Even The Antarctic Winter Cannot Protect Wilkins Ice Shelf"
481:
Associated Press, "Western
Antarctic Ice Chunk Collapses"
197:
Diagram showing region of ice preventing further collapse
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If the entire shelf, which is approximately the size of
692:"Ice Bridge Holding Antarctic Shelf in Place Shatters"
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the ice shelf, which now has the area of the state of
776:"Ice shelf about to break away from Antarctic coast"
603:"Antarctic ice shelf set to collapse due to warming"
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was and will therefore have a negligible effect on
68:
58:
53:
850:"New York City-sized ice collapses off Antarctica"
341:The ice bridge is gone, replaced by chunks of ice.
778:. Associated Press. 4 April 2009. Archived from
520:
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497:Mercopress, "Gigantic ice shelf breaking away"
456:"Wilkins Ice Shelf hanging by its last thread"
134:and was observed from the air in 1929 by Sir
107:. It is located on the southwest side of the
8:
872:"Breakup Continues on the Wilkins Ice Shelf"
32:
740:
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670:"The Unofficial Wilkins Ice Shelf Spacecam"
526:"Antarctic ice shelf 'hanging by a thread'"
38:
31:
491:Satellite imagery from the United States
436:. British Antarctic Survey. 25 March 2008
142:(USAS). It was named by the USAS for Sir
111:between the concave western coastline of
224:In 1993, Professor David Vaughan of the
581:"New rifts form on Antarctic ice shelf"
512:4,244 sq mi (10,990 km).
434:"Antarctic ice shelf hangs by a thread"
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201:The Wilkins Ice Shelf is a rectangular
715:
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329:The Wilkins ice bridge still intact.
298:connecting part of the ice shelf to
152:Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey
967:Bodies of water of Alexander Island
909:Geographic Names Information System
493:"National Snow and Ice Data Center"
156:Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition
721:"Ice bridge ruptures in Antarctic"
208:UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee
25:
897: This article incorporates
892:
353:
334:
322:
239:region, the presence of glacial
103:that is largely occupied by the
914:United States Geological Survey
802:"Antarctic ice shelf breaks up"
173:has attributed these events to
44:Wilkins Sound within Antarctica
220:Retreat of glaciers since 1850
1:
745:Harris, Paul (5 April 2009).
668:Miguel Angel Rubio Escudero.
408:"Antarctic ice bridge splits"
384:List of Antarctic ice shelves
233:National Academy of Sciences
583:. CNN.com. 29 November 2008
214:Breakup and collapse events
128:French Antarctic Expedition
983:
605:. Reuters. 20 January 2009
217:
259:On 29 November 2008, the
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852:. Reuters. 28 April 2009
804:. BBC News. 5 April 2009
723:. BBC News. 5 April 2009
226:British Antarctic Survey
171:British Antarctic Survey
85:Antarctic Treaty System
83:Administered under the
899:public domain material
876:NASA Earth observatory
198:
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460:European Space Agency
294:On 5 April 2009, the
261:European Space Agency
218:Further information:
196:
189:2008 partial collapse
188:
132:Jean-Baptiste Charcot
123:farther to the west.
962:Sounds of Antarctica
266:On 20 January 2009,
140:US Antarctic Service
27:Seaway in Antarctica
934: /
824:"Wilkins Ice Shelf"
627:. ESA. 3 April 2009
237:Antarctic Peninsula
109:Antarctic Peninsula
34:
696:The New York Times
369:Bellingshausen Sea
250:Larsen B Ice Shelf
210:(UK-APC) in 1971.
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115:and the shores of
938:70.250°S 73.000°W
828:The Antarctic Sun
389:Rothschild Island
181:Wilkins Ice Shelf
105:Wilkins Ice Shelf
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18:Wilkins Ice Shelf
16:(Redirected from
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904:"Wilkins Sound"
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782:on 6 April 2009
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532:. 25 March 2008
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698:. 5 April 2009
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561:. 14 June 2008
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414:. 5 April 2009
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254:sea level rise
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175:global warming
148:Charcot Island
144:Hubert Wilkins
136:Hubert Wilkins
117:Charcot Island
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69:Administration
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33:Wilkins Sound
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879:. Retrieved
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832:. Retrieved
830:. 1 May 2009
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780:the original
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751:The Guardian
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273:Connecticut
956:Categories
296:ice bridge
101:Antarctica
76:Antarctica
63:Antarctica
241:meltwater
203:ice shelf
54:Geography
856:30 April
753:. London
536:25 March
466:8 August
412:BBC News
347:See also
163:icebergs
59:Location
929:73°00′W
926:70°15′S
808:5 April
786:5 April
757:5 April
727:5 April
702:5 April
676:21 June
653:5 April
631:4 April
609:5 April
587:5 April
565:15 June
510:Jamaica
440:5 April
418:6 April
312:Jamaica
277:Envisat
268:Reuters
169:of the
881:6 July
130:under
97:seaway
901:from
834:1 May
649:. ESA
395:Notes
285:Terra
95:is a
883:2018
858:2009
836:2009
810:2009
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759:2009
729:2009
704:2009
678:2012
655:2009
633:2009
611:2009
589:2009
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538:2008
468:2008
442:2009
420:2009
289:Aqua
287:and
281:NASA
119:and
283:'s
99:in
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