Amery Ice Shelf Calves a New Iceberg (D-28)

By LTJG Bryan R. Brasher, NOAA
U.S. National Ice Center
October 4, 2019

Suitland, MD — On September 25, 2019, the U.S. National Ice Center (USNIC) named a new iceberg when it calved from the western half of the Amery Ice Shelf. D-28 is located at 68° 33' South, 72° 13' East in the Prydz Bay of the Amery Sea, south of the Indian Ocean. It calved from the shelf around 03:00 UTC on the 25th. The iceberg measures 30 nautical miles on its longest axis and 19 nautical miles on its widest axis. The iceberg was discovered and confirmed by USNIC analyst William Walter using the Sentinel-1A image below (Figure 1).

Iceberg names are derived from the Antarctic quadrant in which they were originally sighted. The quadrants are divided counter-clockwise in the following manner:

A = 0-90W (Bellingshausen/Weddell Sea)
B = 90W-180 (Amundsen/Eastern Ross Sea)
C = 180-90E (Western Ross Sea/Wilkesland)
D = 90E-0 (Amery/Eastern Weddell Sea)

When first sighted, an iceberg’s point of origin is documented by USNIC. The letter of the quadrant, along with a sequential number, is assigned to the iceberg. For example, D-28 is sequentially the 28th iceberg tracked by the USNIC in Antarctica between 90E-0 (Quadrant D).

For more information, please contact:
National Ice Center
Naval Ice Center
Command Duty Officer
Voice: (301) 943-6977
E-mail: nic.cdo@noaa.gov
Twitter: @usnatice
Facebook: @usnatice