Iceberg

Physical characteristics

The Density of the pure water ice being of approximately of 920 kg/m ³ and that of the Water of sea of approximately 1.025 kg/m ³, 90% of the volume of an iceberg is located under water surface, and it is difficult to determine the form which this part from that adopts which floats above the sea (as suggests it the expression “left emerged the iceberg”, meaning that phenomenon is only one simple demonstration of a wide-ranging problem).

Classification

The icebergs are classified according to their size and forms. Following classification is used by the International Ice Patrol .

Cut

Form

This classification is based on the form of the visible part of the iceberg:

tabular iceberg ( tabular ): iceberg of form punt, with a length higher than 5 times its height;
squat iceberg ( blocky ): iceberg presenting a flat top and vertical sides precipice, with a length ranging between 3 and 5 times its height;
bevelled iceberg ( wedge ): vertical and abrupt iceberg on a side, and weak inclined of the other;
eroded iceberg ( drydock ): soft slope and irregular surface due to a strong erosion;
pointed iceberg ( pinnacled ): one or more points very great height to the top of water compared to the mass of the iceberg;
iceberg in dome ( dome ): soft and round, typical surface of an iceberg which recently rocked.

Monitoring

The icebergs are relatively perennial and their sides can easily tear the thin sheets which constitute the hulls of the ships. Consequently, they present a real danger to navigation. The most famous shipwreck due to a collision with an iceberg is probably that of the Titanic, in 1912.

During the 20th century, several organizations were created for the study and the monitoring of the icebergs. Currently, the International Ice Patrol control and publishes their displacement in the Atlantic Ocean northern.

The icebergs coming from the the Antarctic are followed by the National Ice Center . Those which measure more than 10 marine miles (18,52 kilometers) are indicated by a name made up of a letter indicating its origin, followed by a number, incremented for each new iceberg. The letters mean:

a: between 0° and 90° of Longitude western (Sea of Bellingshausen and Sea of Weddell)
b: between 90° and 180° of western longitude (Sea of Amundsen, Is Mer of Ross)
C: between 90° and 180° of longitude is (Western sea of Ross, Wilkesland)
D: between 0° and 90° of longitude is (Barrière of Amery, Is sea of Weddell)

The Iceberg B-15, which was detached from the Barrière of Ross in 2000 and had an initial surface of 11.000 km ², largest was ever detected. It broke into two in November 2002. With the end of the year 2004, the greatest remaining part, iceberg B-15A, measured still 3.000 km ² and were always the largest floating object on the terrestrial oceans. It struck the Antarctic continent on April 10th, 2005 and continuous to circulate along its coasts.

Expression

the hidden part (or immersed) of an iceberg expresses that what is hidden is much more important than the apparent or visible part.

Gallery

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