In October 2024, Pine Island Glacier, identified for its fast-paced retreat and frequent iceberg calving, revealed greater than its icy edge. This time, uncommon atmospheric exercise 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 an distinctive picture exhibiting “sea smoke” and snow carried by highly effective winds.
These phenomena often evade satellite tv for pc photos as a result of clouds typically block the view. Nevertheless, this present day was an exception, offering a uncommon have a look at near-surface atmospheric occasions, defined Christopher Shuman, a glaciologist from the College of Maryland, Baltimore County, based mostly at NASA’s Goddard Area Flight Middle.
Sea Smoke on the Glacier’s Edge
Sea smoke, specifically, emerged prominently close to the glacier’s terminus and over open water at its northern boundary. This phenomenon arises as a result of stark temperature distinction between the icy floor and surrounding waters. Robust winds pushed the ocean ice and water away from the glacier, drawing comparatively hotter water to the floor. When this hotter water meets the frigid air, it condenses into high quality ice crystals, creating the looks of smoke over the ocean.
Winds Stirring Up Blowing Snow
On the similar time, intense winds whipped snow from the encompassing ice sheet, including streams of white throughout the glacier. This blowing snow was particularly seen close to a turbulent space south of Pine Island Glacier, often called a shear zone, the place the collision of ice lots produces complicated formations.
The Influence of Antarctic Spring Winds on Ice Sheets
The energy of those Antarctic winds, significantly in the course of the spring, is no surprise, Shuman famous. These katabatic winds, shaped as chilly, dense air descends from the excessive inside to the coast, recurrently emerge after months of remoted, chilled air.
In areas like Pine Island, these winds can affect the polar ice sheet’s floor mass steadiness by transporting and sublimating snow. Whereas the affect of blowing snow on ice loss stays unsure, its affect is important, and capturing these occasions provides perception into the altering dynamics of Antarctic ice sheets.