Two bergs the size of Greater London and Cornwall are drifting towards an area where they could affect shipping and nature.
Prof Geraint Tarling was on board the Royal Research Ship Discovery which took the opportunity to inspect the berg as it drifted out of Antarctica's Weddell Sea into the South Atlantic.
The British Antarctic Survey scientist said the huge flat-topped, or tabular, icebergs had a considerable influence on their environment - both disruptive and productive.As they melt, they put prodigious volumes of fresh water into the sea, which can make it hard for some organisms to function. On the other hand, the melt also releases the mineral dust that was incorporated into the ice when it was part of a glacier scraping along rock bed of Antarctica.
There is some concern that it could swing east towards South Georgia and get stuck in the shallow waters of its continental shelf - or possibly at the series of nearby islets known as Shag Rocks.In either location, it would be a complication for local wildlife and people.
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