NASA’s Earth Observatory has captured remarkable new satellite images depicting iceberg A-23A, which was once among the largest icebergs ever monitored, now exhibiting a striking blue hue as it drifts through the South Atlantic Ocean.
This distinctive coloration is not merely an aesthetic phenomenon. It indicates significant melting and structural deterioration that may signal the impending disintegration of the iceberg.
As reported by #NASA, under normal circumstances, icebergs appear white due to the multitude of tiny air bubbles within the ice that scatter all wavelengths of sunlight uniformly.
As A-23A has aged and undergone melting, the circumstances have evolved. In 1986, when it initially separated from Antarctica, the iceberg was nearly double the size of Rhode Island. Currently, it spans approximately 580 square miles.
On December 26, 2025, NASA’s Terra satellite, utilizing the MODIS Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer instrument, detected extensive meltwater pools on A-23A’s surface. #Earth scientists explain that these pools exhibit deep blue shades because water preferentially absorbs longer #wavelengths of light (reds and yellows), while shorter blue wavelengths are scattered and reflected back to our eyes, akin to the blue appearance of the ocean and deep glacial ice.
The meltwater accumulates in depressions across the ice surface, creating ponds that can reach several meters in depth. The depth and clarity of these ponds enhance the blue coloration, rendering it particularly vivid in satellite imagery.
A-23A broke away from Antarctica’s Filchner Ice Shelf in 1986 and has been drifting for nearly four decades. Over time, it has gradually diminished in size due to natural fragmentation. However, during the recent summer in the Southern Hemisphere, warmer temperatures and ocean waters have expedited surface melting, resulting in a significant amount of meltwater.
The surface meltwater is pooling in fractures and low-lying areas, creating blue streaks and patches that contrast sharply with the remaining #whiteice.
The emergence of deep blue meltwater serves as an indicator of structural deterioration. #Researchers observe that the pressure of water within crevices can cause the iceberg to fracture from the inside.
Imagery captured by both satellites and astronauts on the International Space Station indicates that A-23A could be only days or weeks from complete disintegration as it continues to move into warmer waters.
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