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Another major crack has appeared on the Larsen C ice shelf in Antarctica, satellite images have revealed. The new rift in one of the region’s biggest floating platforms of ice branches off from another major fissure, scientists have observed growing fast over the last year. The new crack is just over nine miles long and branches off the original 111 mile-long fissure. Scientists with Project Midas, a U.K. based Antarctic research group, have been tracking changes to the Larsen C ice shelf for the past two years. In August 2016, when they were able to observe the ice shelf again after the polar night, they discovered the original crack had grown by 13.5 miles. In January, they announced the rift had grown a further 11 miles. “Only a final 20km [12 miles] of ice now connects an iceberg a quarter of the size of Wales to its parent ice shelf,” they said in a statement at the time. Keep up with this story and more by subscribing now "When it calves, the Larsen C Ice Shelf will lose more than 10 percent of its area to leave the ice front at its most retreated position ever recorded; this event will fundamentally change the landscape of the Antarctic Peninsula." The iceberg, when it breaks away, will measure 3,100 square miles. New satellite data has now shown the presence of a new nine mile-long branch along the rift, moving in the same direction as the larger rift. “While the previous rift tip has not advanced, a new branch of the rift has been initiated. This is approximately 10km [6 miles] behind the previous tip, heading towards the ice-front,” Adrian Luckman, head of Project Midas, said in a statement. The researchers said observing a new rift was the first significant change since February. Luckman said that though the original rift hadn’t grown in length for several months, it was growing wider, at a rate of more than three feet per day. “It is currently winter in Antarctica, therefore direct visual observations are rare and low resolution. Our observations of the rift are based on synthetic aperture radar interferometry from ESA’s [European Space Agency] Sentinel-1 satellites. Satellite radar interferometry allows a very precise monitoring of the rift development,” he added. The Larsen C ice shelf is 217 miles thick and sits at the edge of West Antarctica, holding back the flow of glaciers feeding into it. Scientists believe that after the calving event, the ice shelf will follow the same fate as the Larsen A and B ice shelves, slowly disintegrating until nothing is left. Image showing how the Larsen C ice shelf has grown. Project Midas A similar calving event took place at Larsen B in 2002 and 2003 and the ice shelf has been weakening ever since. In 2015, NASA released footage showing how the ice shelf was in its “final act” and will likely completely disintegrate by the end of the decade. Discussing Larsen B, Ala Khazendar, from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California, said: "Although it’s fascinating scientifically to have a front-row seat to watch the ice shelf becoming unstable and breaking up, it’s bad news for our planet. This ice shelf has existed for at least 10,000 years, and soon it will be gone." Current projections indicate that if the Larsen C ice shelf disintegrates, it could raise sea levels by up to 10cm. Larsen C ice shelf. Image shows the 111 mile rift that has been growing over the last two years. John Sonntag/NASA |
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On Thursday, a Venezuelan military cargo plane landed in the Caribbean island of Antigua, bringing 34 rescuers and 10 tons of equipment, water, mats and medicine to help the Barbudan victims of Hurricane Irma, according to local authorities. While some Antigua residents have welcomed such a gesture, Venezuela is also dealing with climate-related issues that still require the Nicolás Maduro administration’s attention. According to the website Venezuela al Día, the northern state of Aragua has experienced severe floods and landslides in recent days, leaving some people homeless. “This is a joke from a country that lacks basic supplies to mitigate this emergency, while Justice Minister Nestor Reverol deems sending humanitarian help to other countries an heroic act,” the website said. Keep up with this story and more by subscribing now This is not the first time Venezuela has offered hurricane aid this year. According to Reuters, Venezuela pledged to donate $5 million to victims of Hurricane Harvey. Citgo, a U.S. subsidiary of state oil company Petróleos de Venezuela, would be in charge of distributing funds in Houston, Reuters added. This help came after the Trump administration decided to sanction Venezuela and threatened military action due to Maduro’s clenching authoritarianism. Despite strained relationships with the U.S., Venezuela’s left-leaning government has provided other forms of subsidized help in the past. In 2012, then President Hugo Chávez sent heating oil to disadvantaged Americans following cuts from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Venezuela has faced skyrocketing inflation and deep recession in the last four years. Recent street protests against Maduro, as well as lack of staple food and medicine, have worsened the country’s socioeconomic turmoil. For some Twitter users, the Maduro administration is turning a blind eye to Venezuela’s own struggles. Translation: "Venezuela sent two planes of 'humanitarian aid' to Antigua and Barbuda but not a single bottle of water to Choroni or Colonia Tovar." Translation: "Venezuela went out to help Antigua. It’s OK. What’s not OK is sending help while no medicine or bread is available at home. It’s a crime." Translation: "Incredible. Venezuela is eating from trash on the streets and sends help to Antigua and Barbuda. It’s not that [Antiguans] don’t deserve it but our people should come first." Others predict that Venezuela’s aid comes with a geopolitical motivation. This user said, “Now when Antigua and Barbuda requests help, I hope they remember their vote at the [Organization of American States] in favor of the Venezuelan dictatorship.” Tags: wireless m2m, Industrial Wireless M2M, Industrial Wireless M2M Router, Industrial Wireless M2M products, M2M wireless producdts, WiFi M2M Router |