Witness History: Witness Archive 2017 - The Collapse of the Larsen B Ice Shelf

Download The Collapse of the Larsen B Ice Shelf

In March 2002 a massive ice shelf with a surface area of more than 3,200 square kilometres collapsed into the ocean around western Antarctica. The Larsen B ice shelf had existed for more than 10,000 years, but it split apart in a period of just 35 days. Mike Lanchin hears from the leading glaciologist Pedro Svarka who saw it happen.

Photo: Satellite images showing the collapse of the Larsen B ice shelf in early 2002 (Science Photo Library)

Published on Friday, 31st March 2017.

Available Podcasts from Witness History: Witness Archive 2017

Subscribe to Witness History: Witness Archive 2017

We are not the BBC, we only list available podcasts. To find out more about the programme including episodes available on BBC iPlayer, go to the Witness History: Witness Archive 2017 webpage.