Mar 25, 2008 7:58 am US/Pacific
Ice Shelf Size Of Conn. Collapses Off Antarctica
WASHINGTON (AP) ―
-
-
Antarctic Terrain (File Photo)
CBS4/Meng Zhou
A chunk of Antarctic ice nine times the size of Manhattan has suddenly collapsed, putting an even larger glacial area at risk.
Satellite images show the runaway disintegration of a 220-square-mile chunk in western Antarctica. British scientist David Vaughan says it's the result of global warming.
The rest of the Connecticut-sized ice shelf is holding on by a narrow beam of thin ice and scientists worry that it too may collapse. Larger, more dramatic ice collapses occurred in 2002 and 1995.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
Comments