Story highlights A massive sheet of ice is set to break away from Antarctica

Once it does, it will create an iceberg almost the size of Delaware

(CNN) A large sheet of ice is set to break away from Antarctica and scientists say it will be one of the largest breaks of its kind recorded.

Larsen C -- a sprawling sheet of ice in western Antarctica -- is currently attached to its parent shelf by 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) of ice, according to UK-based research team Project MIDAS.

Once it splits, the crack will produce an iceberg around 5,000 square kilometers (1,930 square miles) -- approximately the size of the state of Delaware.

A 70 mile rift in the Larsen C is seen on November 10, 2016.

In August, researchers at MIDAS reported that a crack in Larsen C grew 22 kilometers (13.7 miles) in six months' time. In December the rift accelerated -- clocking an additional 18 kilometers (11 miles) of further movement through colder glacial ice within a month.

Although this isn't the first time the Antarctic has seen icebergs produced in this way, Larsen C's split will significantly change the landscape of the continent.

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