iceberg on the move

[syzygy]

hi everyone!

usually its not my biz posting around here on TOSS subboard, but now I really do not know what we exactly see on this GE satellite view:



it seems as if an iceberg would has decided to move a bit to NW. The two "dead-ends" half-way were made by accumulated ice debrish. (Note, another portion is just about to turn out of the way of the iceberg.)

one another process would result such scar on the thin ice layer, if the ice layer itself would has been moving (moved by some tidal effect?) while iceberg stood fixed. But -besides it has no sense- again, why no other scars then? 

probably it is about size: this one was big enough for wind to find sufficient amount of vertical surface to push hard enough, finally it could have started to move. Later momentum (of this big weight) also could help to keep movement.
this would explain lack of further examples by smaller icebergs.

anyhow, at first glance it is strange enough, I leave it here to give space for other explanations. / as "it is moved by submerged polar bears" for example, and so on... (:

Thanks!

g


iceberg on the move.kmz (798 B)

[willi1]

My first impression: He is currently on his driving license ...

Let's take a look at the area. Svalbard (Spitsbergen) has several glaciers there that calve at their demolition edges.
One of them is the Storbreen, where the hiking iceberg is located (is quite small, the lad, about 30 m).
The picture is from mid-April. Since there the day length is 20 hours and the glaciers melt strong.
GE specifies a height of 200 m for the location. This is certainly not correct but a height measurement from a time when the Storbreen continued to protrude into the water.
The water depth there is actually around 20 m. (See overlay)
Here it is stated that there are underwater currents at the glaciers in Brepollen ("The Glacier Bay").
So my theory is also that the broken chunk of ice drifts through underwater current and the submarine landform through relatively thin ice.
And the wind near the demolition edge could have helped as well.
The saber shape was probably created by tearing pieces from the ice on his way. ( "Crossguard")
Other pieces of ice in the area also drift, but little. Since the water depth is greater and the flow less.

Or an alien base on the run ...

Attachments:

Drifter.kmz (686 B)

Bay of Brepollen.kmz (277.33 KB)

[syzygy]

Right! Really I forgot about this third screenplay with an under-ice current. 
Sounds as some acceptable explanation! Thanks!