[Science Report]:Pine Island Glacier


This is the VOA SpecialEnglish Science Report.

Scientists have expressed much interest in the development of ahuge new iceberg in Antarctica. This huge ice island formed when apiece broke off a moving mass of ice called the Pine Island Glacier.The new iceberg was formed last November. Creation of the newiceberg was the biggest such event ever recorded in the area. Asmuch ice broke off the glacier as it usually releases in about sevenyears.

The iceberg is about six-hundred square kilometers. It isfour-hundred meters thick. The iceberg now is moving toward thenorthwest. Experts say its creation shows that western Antarctica ischanging quickly. Experts say formation of the iceberg is notexpected to affect sea levels on Earth. However, it is not clear howit may influence the climate.

The Pine Island Glacier is the fastest moving glacier on thecontinent. It releases more ice into Antarctica than any otherglacier. It is in the area of the West Antarctic ice sheet thatscientists believe is most likely to break apart.

American space agency scientist Robert Bindschadler works at theGoddard Space Flight Center in the state of Maryland. The NASAexpert was studying satellite pictures of the Pine Island Glacier inJanuary of last year. He noted a thin break in its ice. This crackmeasured about twenty-five kilometers long. It extended more thantwo-thirds of the way across the glacier. Satellite photos taken tenmonths earlier had not shown a crack.

Other agencies that observe the Earth helped NASA watch the crackdevelop. The researchers used special instruments to measure itsgrowth. During the first five weeks, it grew very fast. Then thecrack grew at an average of about fifteen meters a day. The last tenkilometers of the cracking area broke off within days. The icebergwas formed at least six months faster than scientists had expected.

NASA and the United States Geological Survey work together tomake maps of Antarctica. Their joint project is called LandsatSeven. Landsat equipment can see objects as small as fifteen metersacross. Before the project began, many parts of Antarctica had neverbeen seen this well before.

This VOA Special English Science Report was written by JerilynWatson.

品牌培训机构展示

该专题下最近更新的节目

专题广播资料索引