Iceberg The Size of Delaware Breaks Off Antarctica

NEW YORK, NY — A massive section of an Antarctic ice shelf broke off in recent days and slid into the ocean, according to researchers from NASA. Scientists had been aware of a growing crack in the ice since 2014, and an iceberg the size of Delaware finally fell away from the rest of the "Larsen C" shelf sometime between July 10 and July 12.

"The remaining 90 percent of the ice shelf continues to be held in place by two pinning points: the Bawden Ice Rise to the north of the rift and the Gipps Ice Rise to the south," said Chris Shuman, a glaciologist with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and the University of Maryland at Baltimore County.

Researchers aren't sure what the break means for the rest of the ice shelf.

"Will the ice shelf weaken?" asks Kelly Brunt, a glaciologist with NASA and the University of Maryland in College Park. "Or possibly collapse, like its neighbors Larsen A and B? Will the glaciers behind the ice shelf accelerate and have a direct contribution to sea level rise? Or is this just a normal calving event?"

Watch: One Of The Biggest Icebergs Ever Has Broken Away From Antarctica

Shuman is skeptical that there will be any dramatic changes to the rest of the ice shelf.

"I just don't see any near-term signs that this calving event is going to lead to the collapse of the Larsen C ice shelf," he said. "But we will be watching closely for signs of further changes across the area."

The cause of the breakage is not yet clear. Climate change, while certainly a potential factor, is not necessarily to blame, researchers said.

"The Antarctic Peninsula has been one of the fastest warming places on the planet throughout the latter half of the 20th century. This warming has driven really profound environmental changes," said Dan McGrath, a glaciologist at Colorado State University. "But with the rift on Larsen C, we haven't made a direct connection with the warming climate. Still, there are definitely mechanisms by which this rift could be linked to climate change, most notably through warmer ocean waters eating away at the base of the shelf."

Former Vice President Al Gore, a vocal advocate for climate issue, saw the event as a warning of future calamities:

Photo credit: NASA Worldview