Overview
- New MODIS/Terra and ISS images from December 26–27 show extensive blue meltwater ponds across A-23A’s surface, indicating active weakening.
- Researchers say ancient flow-line stripes now channel meltwater into grooves, concentrating stress and hastening structural failure.
- Scientists warn ponded water can trigger sudden blowout events within days or weeks, and imagery suggests a recent freshwater outflow plume at the berg’s edge.
- A-23A has shrunk to about 1,182 square kilometers by early January after losing roughly two-thirds of its area during major fragmentations in mid-2025.
- Having drifted north from the Weddell Sea since 2020 and now in roughly 3°C waters, the berg’s breakup could freshen local seas and affect regional food webs around South Georgia.