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... Its first few decades of freedom were anticlimactic, sitting anchored on the sea floor until finally in 2020 it began inching towards the Southern Ocean, only to become trapped by a swirling vortex of water earlier this year.

These particular ocean vortexes are known as Taylor columns, caused by the presence of underwater mountains. The circulating currents that result can make it difficult for icebergs to break free, but A23a has done just that.

Having escaped the Taylor column, the trillion-ton A23a can progress to the next stage of a journey, which scientists are continuing to closely monitor. ...

Late last year the mega-iceberg got on the move again, tracked by the ESA Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite. Around the same time, scientists were able to take a closer look at A23a, taking samples of the surrounding waters.

We know that icebergs can make a huge difference to the levels of carbon and nutrients in the water as they melt, which in turn affects food chains and aquatic life under the waves.

"We are interested to see if it will take the same route the other large icebergs that have calved off Antarctica have taken," says Meijers. "And more importantly what impact this will have on the local ecosystem."

The team predicts ...