Space agency NASA issued photo Petermann Glacier - one of the largest "ice islands" of Greenland. The picture shows a crack, which, according to scientists, in the near future may become a reason for the split of the glacier, reports Washington You the Post .
Photos cracks were made by researchers polar glaciers in the framework of Operation IceBridge program.
Researchers who carried out over several days circled one of the largest glaciers in Greenland, Petermann Glacier, discovered a huge crack in the ice shelf, which can lead to spalling very large iceberg.
Petermann glacier
The participants of the research mission, Operation IceBridge reported that a crack appeared in the center of the glacier. Scientists fear that if the break stretch, there will be separation of the glacier. Since an area of about 170 square kilometers, the sea level will inevitably rise.
Huge crack in glaciers Greenland
The new crack was found not far from such already known to a larger formation. The merger of these cracks can lead to chipping of very large pieces of ice shelf.
Such ice fields gradually crushed into smaller icebergs, and then gradually blows during their south, where they melt, increasing thus the world's oceans. As noted in the NASA, just last week broke off a piece of the Greenland ice area of 100 square miles (260 square kilometers).