Collapse of land fast ice off Syowa
While monitoring the development of the
1999 Cosmonaut Sea Polynya, a large fissure in the landfast ice
situated in Lützow-Holm Bay near the Japanese Antarctic Research
Station at Syowa
was observed. Over a 10 day period in July, this section of ice,
an area of approximately 1,600 sq km, broke up calving many ice
bergs that were subsequently flushed away. Collapse of the sice
farther to the east was also observed.
Was this event related to the development
of the embayment/polynya? This was a region of the coastline where
sea ice was late in forming and so the ice near the shore was
exposed to open water for a longer period of time that is usual.
NOAA 15 AVHRR Image at 04:00 GMT on
July 6 1999
NOAA 15 AVHRR Image at 02:53 GMT on
July 9 1999
NOAA 15 AVHRR Image at 03:27GMT on
July 12 1999
NOAA 15 AVHRR Image at 02:54 GMT on
July 18 1999
