In October 2024, Pine Island Glacier, identified for its fast moving retreat and widespread iceberg calving, seen greater than its frigid edge. This generation, odd atmospheric task introduced consideration to the skies above Antarctica’s West Antarctic Ice Sheet. On October 10, the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on NASA’s Landsat 8 captured a phenomenal symbol appearing “sea smoke” and snow carried by way of tough winds.
Those phenomena in most cases evade satellite tv for pc pictures as a result of clouds continuously prohibit the view. On the other hand, this era was once an exception, offering an extraordinary have a look at near-surface atmospheric occasions, explained Christopher Shuman, a glaciologist from the College of Maryland, Baltimore County, primarily based at NASA’s Goddard Area Aviation Middle.
Sea Smoke on the Glacier’s Edge
Sea smoke, specifically, emerged prominently close to the glacier’s terminus and over visible H2O at its northern boundary. This phenomenon arises because of the stark temperature distinction between the frigid floor and situation waters. Robust winds driven the ocean ice and H2O clear of the glacier, drawing fairly hotter H2O to the skin. When this hotter H2O meets the chilly breeze, it condenses into advantageous ice crystals, developing the semblance of smoke over the ocean.
Winds Stirring Up Blowing Snow
On the identical generation, intense winds whipped snow from the situation ice sheet, including streams of white around the glacier. This blowing snow was once particularly visual close to a stormy segment south of Pine Island Glacier, referred to as a shear zone, the place the accident of ice plenty produces complicated formations.
The Affect of Antarctic Spring Winds on Ice Sheets
The energy of those Antarctic winds, specifically throughout the spring, isn’t a surprise, Shuman famous. Those katabatic winds, shaped as chilly, unclear breeze descends from the prime inner to the coast, incessantly emerge nearest months of detached, chilled breeze.
In areas like Pine Island, those winds can affect the polar ice sheet’s floor pile steadiness by way of transporting and sublimating snow. Week the affect of blowing snow on ice loss remainder unsure, its affect is important, and shooting those occasions do business in perception into the converting dynamics of Antarctic ice sheets.
