A picture of Frederikshåb Glacier in Greenland was taken by Landsat 8’s Operational Land Imager on June 14, 2023, and another on July 24, 2023.
These same dates have been captured by Landsat 8’s Operational Land Imager, showing the Frederikshåb Glacier.
The hot weather in June and July 2023 has caused considerable melting, mainly in the island’s southern part.
Greenland’s snow cover has transformed significantly by the middle of the 2023 melting season, experiencing above-average melting for most of the period. In particular, melt was noticed on up to 50 percent—800,000 square kilometers (302,000 square miles)—of the Greenland Ice Sheet’s surface on numerous days in June and July. This information was provided by the National Snow and Ice Data Center.
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The Effect on Frederikshåb Glacier
Summer melt was increasing on June 14, 2023, when Landsat 8’s Operational Land Imager took the upper image of Frederikshåb Glacier. This piedmont glacier, in southwest Greenland, flows down from the Greenland Ice Sheet, passes through valleys and nunataks, and levels out on the coast.
Another image (below), captured with Landsat 9’s OLI-2, depicts the same location on July 24, after over a month of extra melting. A noticeable reduction in the extent of the brighter surface snow is evident.
Enhanced Monitoring Through Landsat 9
After Landsat 9’s addition to Landsat 8’s orbit around Earth in September 2021, scientists have gained more frequent and detailed Earth views. The combination of Landsat 8 and 9 captures around 1,500 global scenes daily, useful for monitoring rapid and intense seasonal changes in icy areas.
Snow Turning to Tainted Ice
A seasonal transformation observable in the above images is the shift from pure snow to contaminated ice. This darker color comes from impurities like black carbon or dust that accumulate on the ice. As melting occurs, these residues remain, darkening the ice surface and speeding up melt by absorbing extra solar energy in summer.
Melt ponds are discernible around 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of Frederikshåb in a July 8, 2023 image by Landsat 9’s OLI-2.
Emergence of Melt Ponds
Another significant change is the appearance of “melt ponds” on the ice sheet’s surface. These deep blue pools, where snow has melted and collected, signify the intensity of Greenland’s melting season, generally from May to early September.
Few melt ponds are visible in the July 24 image (top-bottom), perhaps due to runoff or drainage through the ice. Still, numerous melt ponds were seen 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of Frederikshåb on July 8, as captured by Landsat 9’s OLI-2.
Seasonal Weather’s Effect
These changes are the result of a summer warmth increase that began in late June, accelerating the ice sheet’s melt, especially in the south.
A Comparative Look at Past Melt Seasons
In Greenland’s 2023 melt season, daily melt extents have not exceeded those of 2012, a notably extreme melt year. However, as of mid-July, daily melt extents have been consistently above the 1981-2010 average, placing 2023 alongside several other recent high melt years.
Christopher Shuman, a glaciologist at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, based at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, stated, “While 2023 may not surpass the remarkable melt of 2012, it appears to be a substantial and widespread melt year.”
Images of NASA Earth Observatory were produced by Wanmei Liang, utilizing Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about fokus keyword Greenland’s melting season
What does the text describe about Greenland’s melting season in 2023?
The text provides an in-depth analysis of Greenland’s 2023 melting season, highlighting the significant transformation of snow cover and the above-average melting observed. It includes detailed images captured by Landsat 8 and 9, showing the Frederikshåb Glacier’s state in June and July. The report also discusses increased monitoring capabilities, the transition from clean snow to dirty ice, the appearance of melt ponds, the impact of seasonal weather changes, and a comparison with previous melting seasons.
What technology was used to capture images of the melting?
Landsat 8’s Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Landsat 9’s OLI-2 were used to capture detailed satellite images of Frederikshåb Glacier and other icy regions of Greenland, allowing scientists to observe the seasonal changes and effects of the melting.
What are melt ponds, and why are they significant?
Melt ponds are deep blue pools that form where snow has melted and collected in low spots on the ice sheet’s surface. They are significant because they can be an essential indicator of the strength of Greenland’s melting season, generally running from May to early September.
How does the 2023 melting season in Greenland compare to previous years?
So far in the 2023 melting season, spikes in daily melt area have stayed below those of 2012, an exceptionally widespread melting year. However, as of mid-July, daily melt extents have been consistently higher than the 1981-2010 average, making 2023 on par with several other high melt years in recent decades.
What causes the transition from “clean” snow to “dirty” ice?
The transition from “clean” snow to “dirty” ice is caused by impurities such as black carbon or dust that have accumulated on the ice. As the snow and ice melt, these impurities are left behind, darkening the ice surface and potentially hastening melting by absorbing additional solar energy.
