Courant Researchers Model Capsizing Icebergs
Researchers at NYU's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences have found that icebergs capsize due to the unstable shapes they melt into, further defining the fluid dynamics behind global warming's impact on major bodies of water.
A recent article published by the Courant researchers described their modeling of the hydrodynamics behind icebergs capsizing. The team discovered that when ice floats in water, the submerged part melts faster than the top half due to water pressure and buoyancy, resulting in strange shapes and capsizing.
"All we do is put a piece of ice in the tank and by itself, and it starts capsizing,"
said Alison Kim, a contributing researcher and fourth-year Ph.D. The team prepared ice blocks as cylinders and placed them in room temperature water, observing the capsizing process.
The capsizing of icebergs can have catastrophic consequences, including the potential to cause tsunamis and break up other icebergs, due to their massive size.
Author's summary: Researchers model icebergs capsizing due to melting.
- Icebergs capsize due to unstable shapes formed during melting
- Submerged ice melts faster than the top half due to water pressure and buoyancy
- Capsizing can cause tsunamis and break up other icebergs