[Antarctica is having high melting speed resulting in losing ice mass at an average rate of about 150 billion tons per year, and Greenland is losing about 270 billion tons per year, adding to sea level rise: Source NASA (Picture By- Pixabay/ adriankirby)]
Melting of icebergs is a key component in climate simulations. But we miss a very crucial question regarding iceberg melting, that is, does the shape of ice affect the melting speed or not? The answer turns out to be similar to our question! The speed of melting of icebergs depends upon the shape it has. Let’s dive into the answer more briefly.
The researchers have found that narrower icebergs melt faster than wider ones. The narrower icebergs are deeply submerged underwater, but the wider ones are less submerged, thus fasting rate varies accordingly. Icebergs melt unevenly as they drift, with different rates at the front, back, sides, and base. This happens due to variations in water temperature and flow. It means that an iceberg’s shape, specifically its aspect ratio, influences how quickly it melts down overall.
In an experiment, researchers submerged rectangular ice blocks in a flow of saltwater. The blocks ranged from 10 to 33 cm in length. After ten minutes the total mass loss due to melting was measured by weighing the blocks. Photographic analysis was used to determine the melt rate of each face of the block independently.
At a flow speed of 3.5 cm/s, the front face of the iceberg melted fastest. While the other faces melted at varying rates. The experiment revealed that the diverse shapes of icebergs significantly impact their melt rates. Small icebergs may melt as much as 50% faster than large icebergs. It’s shocking to know that it can extend for hundreds of kilometers.
Researchers believe this new knowledge will allow for more accurate climate models. It may lead to better predictions of how ice melt affects our oceans and the climate. Melting ice sheets, particularly in Greenland and Antarctica, introduce low-salinity freshwater into the oceans, impacting global climate. The researchers can use the insights for further climate change predictions and monitor the behavioural change in iceberg melting.
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