Scientists reported on Tuesday that a significant portion of Antarctica's Wilkins Ice Shelf is collapsing due to rapid warming in the region. Satellite images from the University of Colorado's National Snow and Ice Data Center showed that about 160 square miles of the shelf had collapsed. The Wilkins Ice Shelf is a large expanse of floating ice covering approximately 5,000 square miles on the southwest Antarctic Peninsula. Ted Scambos, lead scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center, described the situation as blocks of ice tumbling and crumbling into the ocean, rather than just cracking off and drifting away. "These types of occurrences are rare, but we are eager to gain a better understanding of them as they are the factors that contribute to the complete collapse of the ice shelf," Scambos stated. According to Scambos, a significant portion of the ice shelf is currently only held up by a narrow strip of ice. If this final "ice buttress" were to give way, approximately half of the total ice shelf area could be lost within the next few years, Scambos elaborated. British Antarctic Survey scientist David Vaughan expressed in a statement that "This shelf is on the brink of collapse." According to Scambos, a portion of the ice shelf exposed to the ocean is breaking apart in a familiar pattern that has been observed in other locations over the past decade or so. The collapse, which began on Feb. 28 with a large iceberg breaking off, is believed to be a result of climate warming. A plane was dispatched to capture images of the disintegration as warm air and ocean waves are causing the centuries-old ice shelf to break up. Over the last 50 years, the Antarctic Peninsula has experienced rapid warming, comparable to anywhere else on Earth, according to experts. The increase in temperatures in the region is directly linked to the rise in greenhouse gases and the resulting changes in atmospheric circulation around Antarctica. Although the summer melt season in Antarctica is ending, experts do not anticipate immediate further disintegration of the ice shelf. However, they will closely monitor the situation in January to see if the ice shelf continues to break apart.