Antarctica ice shelf at risk from huge, spreading crackNASA Larsen C ice shelf and the Weddell Sea, covered with sea ice. For some time, scientists who focus on Antarctica have been watching the progression of a large crack in one of the world's great ice shelves - Larsen C, the most northern major ice shelf of the Antarctic peninsula, and the fourth largest Antarctic ice shelf overall. It's called an ice "shelf" because the entirety of this country-sized area is covered by 350 metre thick ice that is floating on top of deep ocean waters. Researchers have estimated that the loss of all the ice that the Larsen C ice shelf currently holds back would raise global sea levels by 10cm. While the major worry outside of Antarctica is sea-level rise from the glaciers behind Larsen C, "it will also be a shame if the Larsen C ice shelf disappears as well," said Jansen.

Source: Stuff August 23, 2016 06:00 UTC