seem to have an effect on the production of very large icebergs. If global warming did tend to cause an 

 increase in production of very large icebergs, we would expect to see increased sightings in the vicinity of 

 the Grand Banks as estimates of global temperatures have risen. Ice island sighting data does not 

 support such a claim. 



The work of Newell (1993) found that the maximum length of icebergs north of 50"N remains fairly 

 constant while the length decreases rapidly south of 50"N. Clearly a result of higher sea surface 

 temperatures and wave action (open water conditions), the rapid deterioration of very large icebergs south 

 of 50"N is a key factor for consideration by the oil and gas industry. Robe (1977) conducted extensive 

 photo-documentation of the deterioration of an ice island during May and June 1976. He noted a 

 tremendous effect from wave erosion, undercutting, and minor calving. Wave erosion had the most 

 profound effect as it tended to focus its energy on the small irregularities along the face of the iceberg. 

 Indeed, Provincial Airlines' interest (and more directly their clients') is easily justified when one considers 

 the fact that a piece of ice weighing approximately 30 million tons passed within 60 nm of a fixed oil 

 production facility during late May. 



The very large tabular iceberg of 2002, while not the largest on record, is certainly one of the largest seen 

 in recent times by the International Ice Patrol and other operators on the Grand Banks. These 

 phenomena, while remarkable to behold, are not the "Jaws" of the transatlantic mariner as their size and 

 near vertical faces typically present excellent radar returns. Additionally, their size lends to more accurate 

 tracking by the agencies responsible for monitoring ice danger in the North Atlantic. 



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Figure 1: Sighting history of very large tabular iceberg as provided by Provincial Air Lines. 



54 



