Icebreakers sail into Antarctic waters as the sea ice begins to melt in the springtime. Generally, as the sea ice melts, it breaks apart forming leads of open water.
An icebreaker will follow leads until there is no more open water, then turn on its ice-breaking mechanisms to essentially chew up enough ice to allow the ship to continue to sail forward.
These mechanisms are like grinders with blades that rotate perpendicular to the level of the open water. The blade systems are mounted in both sides of the bows of icebreakers.
An exact measurement of 'how much ice' is involved varies depending on the sea ice, the icebreaker, its origin and its destination.
Taking an icebreaker ship to Antarctica is an advantage. You have a quick form of transport, and if you get stuck in ice, the icebreaker part of the ship is there to help!
Skiddo or ship with ice smasher on front!
The weight of the ice.
An ice-breaker.
IceFlows.
the discovery
There is much more ice covering Antarctica -- about 90% of the earth's store of ice -- than in the Arctic.
These are called icebergs.
Antarctica is 100% land. The ice sheet that covers 98% of the continent is solid ice.
98% of Antarctica is covered in ice
99%
although it is one of the biggest deserts, antarctica holds 90% of the worlds ice!