Kunezifundo eziningi ezizama ukuthola imithelela nemiphumela le ncibilikayo enayo esimweni sezulu nasekusimeni kweplanethi yethu. Ngenxa yama-satellites siyakwazi ukuhamba nokunyakaza ngosayizi wezinguzunga zeqhwa. Muva nje, iqhwa leqhwa elikhulu kunawo wonke ake abonwa emlandweni selike "lazalwa" ngemuva kokuhlukaniswa kwalo eshalofini lase-Antarctic.
Ukuqhekeka komkhawulo weLarsen C e-Antarctica Inike ososayensi ithuba lokufunda kabanzi ngokusimama kwepulatifomu. Ingabe ukuncibilika kubangela ukungazinzi?
Usayizi weqhwa elikhishwe e-Antarctica uliphinda kabili iLuxembourg. Kusukela lapho, leli qhwa leqhwa elikhulu, okuthiwa u-A68, ibilokhu ihambela kude cishe ngamakhilomitha ama-5 ukusuka kumgoqo. Izithombe ezinikezwe amasathelayithi zibonisa ukwakheka kweqembu lama-icebergs amancane angaba ngu-11.
Manje e-Antarctica kusebusika futhi akukho ukukhanya. Amahora wosuku ayindlala, ngakho-ke ukuze kufundwe ukuvela kweqhwa i-A68, kufanele kusetshenziswe iziphuphutheki zombono we-infrared.
Kwenziwa imizamo yokuthola ukuthi ngabe iqembu likaLarsen C lidala ukungazinzi yini eshalofini elise-Antarctic. Kanjalo Kubalulekile ukuqonda ukuzinza kwe-A68 iceberg njengoba incipha futhi ikhukhuleka.
“Uma ishelufu leqhwa lingathintani nokuphakama, kungaba kusuka ekunciphiseni okuqhubekayo noma ekuzaleni, kungadala ukushesha okukhulu ngejubane leqhwa futhi mhlawumbe kuqhubeke nokuzinzisa. Kubukeka sengathi indaba kaLarsen C kungenzeka ingapheli okwamanje ”, kuchaza uDkt Hogg ocwaningweni olushicilelwe ephephabhukwini Ukuguquka kwesimo sezulu.
Ukuncibilika kweshelufu leqhwa ngeke kuze kubangele ukwanda okuphawulekayo olwandle ngoba wona kanye umthamo umthamo weqhwa elizothatha indawo yawo uzothathelwa indawo ngamanzi.