About Iceberg
Iceberg Meaning: (noun) a Massive Block of Ice That Floats in the Sea.
What is an Iceberg?
Iceberg Definition- Icebergs are a large moving mass of ice chunks that break off from the glaciers. This is known as calving. Icebergs float in the ocean but are composed of frozen freshwater rather than saltwater. Refer to the below image to understand how an iceberg underwater looks like.
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Types of Iceberg
To be classified as an iceberg, the ice must be at least 16 feet above sea level, have a thickness of 98-164 feet, and cover an area of at least 5,382 square feet.
Smaller ice chunks are known as "bergy bits" and "growlers."
Bergy bits and growlers can come from glaciers or shelf ice, or they can be the result of a large iceberg breaking up. A bergy bit is a medium to large ice fragment. Its height is typically greater than three feet but less than sixteen feet above sea level, and its area is typically between 1,076-3,229 square feet.
Growlers are smaller ice chunks about the size of a truck or a grand piano. They are about 215 square feet in size and extend less than three feet above the sea surface.
Icebergs are also classified according to their shape, which is typically tabular or non-tabular. Tabular icebergs are distinguished by steep sides and a flat top. non-tabular icebergs have a variety of shapes, including domes and spires.
Are Icebergs Dangerous?
Iceberg underwater is dangerous to ships. The sharp, hidden ice can easily tear a hole in a ship's bottom. Because of the large number of icebergs that have found their way there, a particularly dangerous section of the North Atlantic has come to be known as Iceberg Alley. Iceberg Alley is located in Canada, 250 miles east and southeast of Newfoundland.
The Titanic, a large British ocean liner on its way to New York in 1912, collided with an iceberg and sank in Iceberg Alley. More than 1500 people perished in the flood. The International Ice Patrol was formed soon after the Titanic sank to track icebergs and warn ships. That patrol is still going on today.
What are Active Safety Measures?
The National Ice Center of the United States monitors icebergs all over the world (NIC). NIC analyses and forecasts ice conditions in the Arctic, Antarctic, Great Lakes, and the Chesapeake Bay. The National Ice Center (NIC) is the only organisation that names and tracks all Antarctic icebergs.
Iceberg patrols now use global positioning system (GPS) technology to help locate icebergs and prevent future disasters like the Titanic. The National Ice Center lost track of an iceberg the size of Rhode Island in 1999. It was discovered drifting toward the Drake Passage, a vital shipping route south of Argentina. Dr David Long of NASA's SeaWinds science team tracked the iceberg using satellite data, the first time satellite technology was used for that purpose. Since then, the SeaWinds team has tracked the world's ice using satellites.
Additional Information
Iceberg Phenomenon is a method for determining the severity and prevalence of disease in a population.
The disease pattern in the community or population is described using the analogy of an iceberg. The study of the "iceberg phenomenon of a disease" describes how a disease progresses (pathogenesis and spread) from its subclinical stages to its apparent disease state. The tip of the iceberg represents what clinicians see, while the submerged portion is what epidemiologists explore and make visible. The largely hidden part of the iceberg is what makes up the majority of unrecognised disease in the population and determines the fate of any disease control programme.
Have you heard of Iceberg Principle? Ernest Hemingway invented the Iceberg principle, also known as the theory of omission, as a writing strategy. Hemingway had to base his newspaper reporting as a young writer on current affairs with no meaning or explanation. He maintained this minimalistic approach as a short story writer, concentrating on surface elements rather than directly addressing overarching concepts. The deeper sense of a plot, according to Hemingway, should not be obvious on the surface but should shine through indirectly.
FAQs on Iceberg
1. What is an iceberg, and how is it formed?
An iceberg is a very large piece of freshwater ice that has broken off from a glacier or an ice shelf and is floating freely in open water. The process by which an iceberg breaks off from its parent glacier is called calving. These formations originate on land, unlike sea ice which forms from frozen ocean water.
2. Why do massive icebergs float in the ocean?
Icebergs float because the density of ice is lower than the density of seawater. Water is a unique substance because its solid form (ice) is less dense than its liquid form. The density of pure ice is about 920 kg/m³, while the density of saltwater is about 1025 kg/m³. According to Archimedes' principle, an object floats if it displaces a weight of fluid equal to its own weight, which is possible for ice in water due to this density difference.
3. What are the main types of icebergs found in nature?
Icebergs are broadly classified based on their shape. The two primary categories are:
Tabular Icebergs: These are flat-topped and steep-sided, looking like giant floating plateaus. They typically break off from ice shelves, like those in Antarctica.
Non-Tabular Icebergs: These have irregular shapes and include several sub-types, such as dome-shaped, pinnacle (with tall spires), wedge-shaped, and dry-dock (which has a U-shaped slot in it).
4. Why is about 90% of an iceberg hidden beneath the water's surface?
The reason most of an iceberg is underwater is a direct result of the density difference between ice and seawater. Since the density of ice is approximately 90% of the density of seawater, it needs to displace a volume of water equal to its total weight to float. To achieve this equilibrium, about 90% of the iceberg's mass and volume must be submerged, leaving only the top 10% visible above the water. This is why the phrase 'tip of the iceberg' is used to describe a problem that is much larger than it appears.
5. What determines the colour of an iceberg?
The colour of an iceberg provides clues about its age and density. The most common colours are:
White: This is the most common colour and is caused by tiny air bubbles trapped within the ice. These bubbles scatter all wavelengths of light equally, making the ice appear white.
Blue: This colour appears in older, highly compressed ice where the air bubbles have been squeezed out. With no air to scatter light, the ice crystals absorb red and yellow light, while scattering blue light, making the ice appear a deep blue.
Green or Brown Stripes: These are caused by sediment or algae that were frozen into the underside of the iceberg. When the iceberg rolls over, these colourful layers become visible.
6. What is the fundamental difference between a glacier, sea ice, and an iceberg?
These terms are often confused but refer to distinct ice formations:
A Glacier is a large, slow-moving river of ice that is formed from compacted snow on land.
An Iceberg is a piece of a glacier or ice shelf that has broken off (calved) and is now floating in water. It is made of freshwater.
Sea Ice is formed directly from the freezing of ocean water. It is much thinner than icebergs and is salty.
7. How do icebergs influence the ocean environment and climate?
Icebergs play an important role in the marine ecosystem and climate regulation. As they melt, they release large amounts of cold, fresh water, which can alter local ocean currents and salinity. They also carry and deposit minerals and nutrients (like iron) trapped from the land into the open ocean. This nutrient release can trigger phytoplankton blooms, which form the base of the marine food web and absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
8. What makes icebergs such a significant danger to ships?
The primary danger of icebergs is that their true size is deceptive. With up to 90% of their mass hidden underwater, the visible portion gives a false impression of their scale. This submerged part can extend far from the visible tip, posing a huge collision risk. Furthermore, icebergs are often unstable and can roll or break apart unexpectedly. Their dense ice can also be difficult for ship radar to detect, especially in rough seas or fog, making them a serious hazard for maritime navigation, as famously demonstrated by the sinking of the Titanic.
9. Where in the world are icebergs most commonly found?
Icebergs are predominantly found in two main regions of the world. In the Northern Hemisphere, they originate mainly from the glaciers of Greenland and are carried south into the North Atlantic Ocean through a corridor known as 'Iceberg Alley'. In the Southern Hemisphere, vast tabular icebergs break off from the massive ice shelves of Antarctica and drift throughout the Southern Ocean.
10. Could icebergs be used as a source of freshwater?
Theoretically, yes. Icebergs are composed of highly pure freshwater, making them a potential resource for arid regions. However, the logistical and economic challenges are immense. The process would involve locating a suitable iceberg, wrapping it in insulating material to slow melting, and towing it across thousands of kilometres of ocean. Currently, the cost of such an operation and the technical difficulties involved make it an unfeasible solution for most countries.
