Ice shelf
Some of the ice shelves in Antarctica. Ross Ice Shelf is red, Fincher Ronne is the large area in blue.
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An ice shelf is a large platform of ice, where a glacier flows down to a coastline. An ice shelf is usually very thick, usually 100 metres (330 ft) or more. Some ice shelves float on the water. Ice shelves that float are usually much thinner.
The biggest areas of ice shelf are in Antarctica:
- Ross Ice Shelf 509,000 square kilometres (197,000 sq mi), as of 2013
- Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf, 430,000 square kilometres (170,000 sq mi)
Ice Shelf Media
Ice shelf extending approximately 6 miles into the Antarctic Sound from Joinville Island
Close-up of Ross Ice Shelf
Panorama of Ross Ice Shelf
An image of Antarctica differentiating its landmass (dark grey), ice shelves (light grey), and sea ice (white)
Processes around an Antarctic ice shelf
Glacier-ice shelf interactions
