Importance Score: 35 / 100 🔵
Navigating the frigid waters of the North Atlantic often entails encountering floating icebergs, a common sight in this region. During spring and summer, these imposing, bright white glacial formations of diverse shapes and sizes can be seen drifting along the coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador. However, a recent sighting of a completely black iceberg has left a fisherman in disbelief. Its massive size and unusual color immediately set it apart.
The Enigmatic Black Iceberg
Hallur Antoniussen, originally from the Faroe Islands, was working on a fishing trawler when he observed this peculiar phenomenon last month.
“I have seen icebergs that are rolled, what they say have rolled in the beach with some rocks in it,” he told CBC Radio. “This one here is completely different. It’s not only that he is all black. He is almost…in a diamond shape.”
LIGE Mens Smart Watch with Wireless Calls, Wireless, Monitor, Step Counter, Stopwatch, Multi-Sport Mode, ...
🎉 Exclusive deal [$22.39]
Mens Sporty Hooded Sweatshirt - Navy Blue with Copper Bow Accents, Regular Fit, Machine Washable ...
🎉 Exclusive deal [$0.77]
Mens Lightweight Breathable Basketball Running Gym Shoes - Stability Support, EVA Cushioned Sole, Vi...
🎉 Exclusive deal [$0.79]
Antoniussen, 64, estimated the iceberg to be roughly six kilometers away when he photographed it, making it difficult to determine its exact dimensions.
While its size was impressive, the unique characteristic of this iceberg was its entirely black color.
Icebergs are created when pieces break away from larger glaciers. Pictured: Icebergs entering the sea in Antarctica.
A large iceberg is grounded in the harbor of Newfoundland, Canada, not far from where the mysterious black iceberg was observed.
Nonetheless, he approximated its size to be at least three times that of a standard bungalow.
Why Are Icebergs Typically White?
Icebergs generally appear white due to the countless tiny air pockets trapped within them, which scatter all wavelengths of light.
Possible Explanations for the Black Iceberg Phenomenon
Several theories have been proposed to explain the existence of this rare black iceberg.
Debris from Glacial Movement
One possibility is that the iceberg became infused with a significant amount of debris thousands of years ago when it was still part of a larger glacier. As glaciers advance toward the ocean, they scour the ground, incorporating debris into the ice.
Rolled Iceberg Theory
Dr. Lev Tarasov, a glaciologist from Memorial University in Canada, suggests that the iceberg may have overturned, revealing its underside. “Over time, as it travels around Baffin Bay and down the coast of Labrador, it’s melting away,” he stated. “So I think a lot of that ice is melted away. Maybe the part that’s clean is underneath?
“Again, 90 per cent of the ice is underneath the water. So we’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg on top.” He also noted that the dirt on the iceberg might have been concealed “for hundreds of thousands of years.”
The Greenland Ice Sheet, the second largest body of ice globally, covers nearly 80% of Greenland. Experts propose that the black iceberg might have originated from Greenland.
Experts caution that the Greenland Ice Sheet is fracturing at an increasing rate, with the number of deep fissures rising dramatically.
As glaciers move, they grind along the ground, incorporating debris into the ice, as seen in Dickson Fjord, Northeast Greenland National Park.
Volcanic Ash or Meteor Debris
Another hypothesis is that the ice became mixed with soot from a major volcanic eruption or debris from a historic meteor impact.
Dr. Tarasov mentioned observing smaller versions of the black iceberg during his fieldwork on the Kangerlussuaq Fjord in Greenland last summer, although none were as substantial.