ARCTIC Exceptionally Large Icebergs and Ice Islands in Eastern Canadian Waters: A Review of Sightings from 1900 to Present

• Main Author: John P. Newell
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1991
• Subjects: Arctic; Baffin Bay; Baie de Baffin; Labrador Shelf; Le Plateau; Mer du Labrador; Baffin; Iceberg*; Labrador Sea; Terre-Neuve
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.530.5120; http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/arctic46-3-205.pdf

ABSTRACT. A review of post-1900 sightings of ice islands and exceptionally large icebergs in eastern Canadian waters between Baffin Bay and the Grand Banks demonstrates that current estimates of the maximum expected iceberg lengths are below many of the reported values. Analysis of these sightings reveals that for the area south of 55"N the frequency of sightings and the maximum reported lengths were greater during the first half of this century than during the period 1950-90. However, recent sightings in 1991 demonstrate that excep-tionally large icebergs should still be considered when designing fixed offshore structures for the Grand Banks or Labrador Shelf. Key words: icebergs, ice islands, Labrador Sea, Grand Banks, offshore oil RÉSUMÉ. Une recension des observations posttrieures B 1900 concernant les îles de glace et les icebergs de taille exceptionnelle dans les eaux canadiennes orientales situees entre la baie de Baffin et les Grands Bancs de Terre-Neuve rkvble que les estimations courantes des longueurs maximales d'icebergs escomptks se situent en dessous de bien des valeurs rapport& % Une analyse de ces observations montre que pour la zone au sud du 55 O N, la fr6quence des observations et les longueurs maximales rapport & 6taient plus grandes durant la premiere moiti6 de ce sihle que durant la &riode allant de 1950 1 1990. De rkentes observations faites en 1991 r6velent cependant que la conception des structures fixes en mer sur les Grands Bancs ou sur le plateau continental du Labrador devrait toujours tenir compte des icebergs de taille exceptionnelle. Mots cl6s: icebergs, îles de glace, mer du Labrador, Grands Bancs, &trole exploit6 en mer Traduit pour le journal par N6sida Loyer.