Envisat provides images of collapsing Larsen B ice shelf
Europe's Earth observation satellite, Envisat, has produced its first images of the planet Earth, including pictures of the Larsen B ice shelf which collapsed in Antarctica in March. The images show how the 3250 square kilometre ice shelf splintered into small icebergs and fragments of ice, which are now moving from the area south of Seal Nunataks towards the Weddell Sea. Larsen B is the largest in a series of ice shelves to have collapsed along the Antarctic Peninsula. Scientists are attributing the retreats to accelerated climate warming in the region, where the temperature has increased at an average rate of 0.5 degrees Celsius per decade since the late 1940s. The European space agency (ESA), which constructed Envisat, claims that the observations will help to increase our understanding not only of ice dynamics and ice/climate interactions, but also of global ocean circulation. One of the satellite's 10 instruments is also being used to monitor chlorophyll concentration over West Africa. This instrument will also aid the management of fish stocks by providing information on key fishing grounds. Envisat was launched on 1 March 2002.