The Petermann glacier, located in northwestern Greenland, could fragment as a result of rising temperatures in the region. NASA published on its Twitter profile a photograph taken in the framework of the IceBridge operation, dedicated to the study of the changes that occur each year in the glaciers.
You might think that it is a minor crack, but it is not very far from another, which is much wider and longer. If they come together, a significant part of the glacier would detach.
Image - NASA
The Petermann glacier, one of the largest in Greenland, has a length of 70km, a width of 15km, and a thickness that ranges from 600m at its base to 30-80m at its front. Stef Lhermite, a Dutch scientist at Delft University of Technology, was the first to study the fracture that has occurred in this huge glacier, observed in images taken from space.
NASA was able to detect so the fissure has occurred near the center of the floating ice shelf, a place that raises doubts about its formation. Both can be seen in this image, which was taken from an airplane:
Image - NASA
It would not be the first large piece to be detached: in 2010 and 2012 two ice sheets were detached from the glacier. But what worries scientists most is that if temperatures continue to rise, the ice will melt into the sea causing its level to rise. And if it does, we will have to re-map the entire world, not to mention the measures we would have to take to prevent our homes from being flooded.
Therefore, it is important to become aware of what is happening on the planet in order to protect it.