NASA On Air: Melt Ponds—Mother Nature’s Artwork (8/7/2014)

1. This Alaskan glacier melt pond is the size of 3 football fields.

2. The Caribbean-like turquoise blue color comes from the ice below.

3. Similar melt ponds on the Arctic sea ice grow during the summer since the blue water absorbs sunshine.

4. Ponds can cover nearly half of Arctic ice.

TAG: NASA’s specially instrumented U-2, flying at 65,000 feet, is measuring this summer how these melt ponds effect the warming processes of the Arctic.