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 the impact of global warming on major bodies of water.
According to a recently published article, the team modeled the hydrodynamics behind icebergs capsizing, discovering that when ice floats in water, the submerged part melts faster than the top half due to water pressure and buoyancy, forming strange shapes and leading to 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 catastrophic effects of capsizing icebergs, which can cause tsunamis and break up other icebergs.
Author's summary: Researchers model capsizing icebergs to study global warming effects.
- Icebergs capsize due to unstable shapes formed during melting
- Melting occurs faster in submerged parts due to water pressure and buoyancy
- Capsizing icebergs can cause tsunamis and break up other icebergs