Milne Ice Shelf in Canada’s Far North Collapses into Arctic Ocean thanks to Climate Change
On August 2, the Canadian Ice Service reported that a huge section of the Milne Ice Shelf had collapsed into the Arctic Ocean. Milne is the second largest ice shelf in the Arctic Ocean and the last intact shelf of in Canada.
The area is located within the Nunavit Territory at the most northern section of Canada’s Arctic – it’s also known as the Far North’ region – just west of Greenland and north of the Arctic Circle.
Known on Twitter as, ECCC Canadian Ice Service, the agency’s latest posting on the subject is as follows:
“A huge section of the Milne #IceShelf has collapsed into the #Arctic Ocean producing a ~79 km2 ice island. Above normal air temperatures, offshore winds and open water in front of the ice shelf are all part of the recipe for ice shelf break up. #Milne”
A huge section of the Milne #IceShelf has collapsed into the #Arctic Ocean producing a ~79 km2 ice island. Above normal air temperatures, offshore winds and open water in front of the ice shelf are all part of the recipe for ice shelf break up. #MilneIceIsland #Nunavut #seaice pic.twitter.com/fGfj8Me9tA
— ECCC Canadian Ice Service (@ECCC_CIS) August 2, 2020
Two days later on August 4 they would make another post featuring satellite animation which displays collapse of the Milne Ice Shelf. The shelf had reduced in area by 43% according to the tweet.
Satellite animation, from July 30 to August 4, shows the collapse of the last fully intact #iceshelf in #Canada. The Milne Ice Shelf, located on #EllesmereIsland in #Nunavut, has now reduced in area by ~43%. #MilneIceIsland #seaice #Arctic #earthrightnow #glacier pic.twitter.com/jjs1gawoxA
— ECCC Canadian Ice Service (@ECCC_CIS) August 4, 2020
Luke Copland, Professor and holder of the University Research Chair in Glaciology at the University of Ottawa was part of a research team in the area of the Milne Ice Shelf.
Following is an interview, posted to youtube in 2016, with Luke Copland about the subject of ice shelves and the effect that climate change has had on their deterioration and loss.
“When you look at the data … it seems like in the recent past, in the last decade, we’ve seen a rapid warming in Winter temperature … so it means the ice shelves,” said Mr. Copland.
Maps of the Northern Most Regions of Canada:
