Markham Ice Shelf facts for kids
The Markham Ice Shelf was a huge floating sheet of ice, one of five major ice shelves found in Canada. These ice shelves were all located along the northern coast of Ellesmere Island in Nunavut.
In early August 2008, the Markham Ice Shelf broke away from the coast and began drifting into the Arctic Ocean. This ancient ice shelf was about 4,500 years old. At the time it broke off, it was roughly 19 square miles (49 square kilometers) in size, which is almost as big as Manhattan. It was also incredibly thick, about ten stories tall!
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The Disappearance of the Markham Ice Shelf
The sudden breakup of the Markham Ice Shelf was a big surprise to scientists. On September 3, 2008, CNN reported on what Derek Mueller, a researcher from Trent University in Ontario, Canada, told the Associated Press.
Mueller explained that during their research, the weather cleared up, and "all of a sudden there was no more ice shelf." He called it a "shocking event" that showed how quickly the Arctic environment was changing.
Impact on Arctic Life
The Markham Ice Shelf was very important for the ecosystem of the Canadian Arctic. It was home to a large amount of tiny living things, like algae, that could survive in the cold. These algae would sit on top of the ice shelf and make their own food, much like plants do.
Scientists worried that with the ice shelf gone, these unique tiny creatures were in danger of disappearing forever. The ice shelf was a vital habitat for them.
Final Melting
Images from NASA showed that the Markham Ice Shelf completely broke apart over just six days in August 2008. By the year 2015, the entire ice shelf had completely melted away.
Who Was Markham?
The Markham Ice Shelf was named after Albert Hastings Markham. He was a British explorer who was famous for his trips to the Arctic regions.
