We explain what an iceberg is and the danger that this mass of ice represents. Also, how it is formed and some of its characteristics.
What is an iceberg?
It is known as an iceberg (from English) or an iceberg. large mass of floating ice in the ocean detached from a glacier or an ice pack, and which has a portion above the water, while the rest remains submerged.
Icebergs come from the polar region of the planet, where they were part of an icy mass (ice floe) that, due to fractures and various causes, cracks and releases its fragments into the current. This is how these large pieces of ice arrive at mid-latitudes, where represent a danger to maritime navigation as was demonstrated with the sinking of the famous Titanic.
Since this famous tragedy that occurred in 1912, numerous icebergs have been observed breaking off from Antarctica, carried by the Labrador Current.
In 1974, the detachment of one approximately the size of Manhattan Island was reported, although it did not manage to leave the pole due to the drift current. Another huge iceberg of similar proportions broke off in 2017, which was interpreted as clear evidence of global warming.
Icebergs contain tons of fresh water in solid form, as well as frost and snow from the atmosphere. It is estimated that the largest portion of its mass remains submerged (barely an eighth part protrudes), so It is difficult to calculate with the naked eye where they really begin.
Due to the density of the ocean's salt water, these ice masses stay afloat and They can be carried away by the current, despite their colossal size. Eventually, warmer temperatures in the south melt them and add a significant volume of fresh water to the ocean. The place in the world where the most icebergs occur is Greenland.
See also: Water cycle
