The Potential Hazard of Antarctic Ice Shelf Carving in New Zealand Territorial Waters.

• Main Author: Rowan, Errin
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: English
• Published: University of Canterbury 2014
• Subjects: Antarctic; Southern Ocean; The Antarctic; Antarctic Peninsula; New Zealand; Antarc*; Ice Shelf; Iceberg*
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10092/13869

The Antarctic Peninsula is the one region of the Southern Ocean that has experienced large temperature changes over the past century resulting in the release of large ice bergs into the Southern Ocean. The glacial calving process is based on glacier ice flow dynamics as breaking rates are controlled by ice velocity changes and retreat. With increased continental warming and consequently melting there will be an increase in ice-berg calving frequency and movement from the Antarctic continent. GIS satellite monitoring of the Antarctic has provided useful images of the migration of icebergs. Recent advances in the use of geographic information systems and the ability to monitor the movement of icebergs and changes in ice sheets makes the potential for predicting the impacts on the Southern Ocean easier. This literature review considers the question - with increased iceberg frequency what are the potential impacts of ice-berg migration on Southern Ocean logistics.