Canada’s Last Fully Intact Ice Shelf Collapsed
Ellesmere: The Milne Ice Shelf, located on the Ellesmere Island in the Canadian territory of Nunavut, lost nearly 43 percent of its area in less than a week. Satellite images between July 30 to August 4 show the collapse of Canada's last fully intact ice shelf.
Researchers at the Canadian Ice Service said on August 3 that a huge section of the Milne ice shelf collapsed into the Arctic Ocean, producing an 'ice island' with an area of roughly 79 sq km.
"Above normal air temperatures, offshore winds and open water in front of the ice shelf are all part of the recipe for an ice shelf break up," the Canadian Ice Service said in a recent tweet.
This summer, Canada's St Patrick Bay ice caps that were located on the Hazen Plateau of north-eastern Ellesmere Island also disappeared completely.
Ice shelves are permanent floating sheets of ice that connect to a landmass. Their collapse could indirectly contribute to a rise in sea levels. Scientists have pointed out that in recent years, ice shelves on the Antarctic Peninsula and along the northern coast of Canada have experienced rapid disintegration.
The northern coast of Canada's Ellesmere Island is home to several well-known ice shelves like the Markham and the Ward Hunt ice shelves.
