March 15, 2002, Washington D.C.-- The National Ice Center (NIC) confirms an iceberg newly calved from the Thwaites Ice Tongue (Figures 1 & 2). The Thwaites Ice Tongue is a large sheet of glacial ice and snow extending from the Antarctic mainland into the southern Amundsen Sea. This new iceberg is named B-22 and is currently located at 74.56S/ 107.55W. Iceberg B-22, roughly 46NM long and 35NM wide, covers an area of approximately 2,120 square statute miles. National Snow and Ice Data Center scientist Dr. Ted Scambos notified NIC of a large crack in the Thwaites Tongue discovered by Jennifer Bohlander (also of NSIDC) using MODIS data from February 10th, 2001. The crack was found to have significantly widened in MODIS data from March 8, 2001. Analyst Judy Shaffier, of the National Ice Center, confirmed the calving of Iceberg B22 using the satellite images shown above from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program's (DMSP) Operational Line Scan (OLS) Visible sensor (Figure 1) and NOAA's AVHRR sensor (Figure 2), both dated March 11, 2001.

Iceberg names are derived from the Antarctic quadrant in which they were originally sighted. The quadrants are divided counter-clockwise in the following manner:
A = 0-90W (Bellinghausen/Weddell Sea)
B = 90W-180 (Amundsen/Eastern Ross Sea)
C = 180-90E (Western Ross Sea/Wilkesland)
D = 90E-0 (Amery/Eastern Weddell Sea).

When an iceberg is first sighted, NIC documents its point of origin. The letter of the quadrant, along with a sequential number is assigned to the iceberg. For example, B-22 is sequentially the 22nd iceberg tracked by the NIC in Antarctica between 90-180 (Quadrant B).

The National Ice Center is a tri-agency operational center represented by the United States Navy (Department of Defense); the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Department of Commerce); and the United States Coast Guard (Department of Homeland Security). The National Ice Center mission is to provide world-wide operational ice analyses for the armed forces of the United States and allied nations, U.S. government agencies, and the private sector.

For more information, please contact:
ENS Christi Montgomery, Ice Products Branch Chief
voice: 301-457-5303 ext: 306
e-mail: cmontgomery@natice.noaa.gov