Ice shelf
floating platform of ice on the ocean surface, at outlet of a glacier or ice sheet
An ice shelf is a large platform of ice, where a glacier flows down to a coastline. An ice shelf is usually very thick, usually 100 metres (330 ft) or more. Some ice shelves float on the water. Ice shelves that float are usually much thinner.
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4d/Antarctica_ice_shelves.svg/220px-Antarctica_ice_shelves.svg.png)
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6a/Ross_Ice-Shelf.jpg/220px-Ross_Ice-Shelf.jpg)
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/46/Ronne_Ice_Shelf_%2825377432417%29.jpg/220px-Ronne_Ice_Shelf_%2825377432417%29.jpg)
The biggest areas of ice shelf are in Antarctica:
- Ross Ice Shelf 509,000 square kilometres (197,000 sq mi), as of 2013
- Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf, 430,000 square kilometres (170,000 sq mi)
Other websites
changeMedia related to Ice shelf at Wikimedia Commons