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Even the Antarctic winter cannot protect Wilkins Ice Shelf

13 June 2008

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Wilkins Ice Shelf has experienced further break-up with an area of about 160 km² breaking off. This animation, comprised of images acquired by Envisat’s Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) between 30 May and 9 June 2008, highlights the rapidly dwindling strip of ice that is protecting thousands of kilometres of the ice shelf from further break-up. This is the first ever-documented episode to occur in winter.

Credits: ESA

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This animation, comprised of images acquired by Envisat’s Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR), highlights the rapid loss of ice on the Wilkins Ice Shelf from 26 February to 7 March 2008. Between 28 and 29 February, an area of about 400 sq km disintegrated into large and small icebergs within 24 hours.

Credits: ESA