The Largest Ice Shelf in Antarctica Is Behaving Oddly

The activity of an ice stream has caused the Ross Ice Shelf to suddenly displace.
In Antarctica, massive glaciers are constantly shifting. Ice streams, which act like conveyor belts, are the pathways of accelerated movement that transport the majority of the ice and sediment debris from these extensive glaciers towards the ocean.

One such ice stream jostles the entire Ross Ice Shelf out of place at least once daily, according to new research from Washington University in St. Louis.

This finding is significant because of the scale of the Ross Ice Shelf: It is the largest ice shelf in Antarctica, about the same size as the country of France.