Earth  ID: 3374

Jakobshavn Glacier Flow in the year 2000 and Calving Front Retreat from 2001 to 2006

Since measurements of Jakobshavn Isbrae were first taken in 1850, the glacier has gradually receded, finally coming to rest at a certain point for the past 5 decades. However, from 1997 to 2006, the glacier has begun to recede again, this time almost doubling in speed. The finding is important for many reasons. As more ice moves from glaciers on land into the ocean, it raises sea levels. Jakobshavn Isbrae is Greenland's largest outlet glacier, draining 6.5 percent of Greenland's ice sheet area. The ice stream's speed-up and near-doubling of ice flow from land into the ocean has increased the rate of sea level rise by about .06 millimeters (about .002 inches) per year, or roughly 4 percent of the 20th century rate of sea level increase. This animation shows the glacier's flow in 2000, along with changes in the glacier's calving front between 2001 and 2006.

Visualization Credits

Cindy Starr (Global Science and Technology, Inc.): Lead Visualizer
Greg Shirah (NASA/GSFC): Animator
Alex Kekesi (Global Science and Technology, Inc.): Animator
Stuart A. Snodgrass (GST): Animator
Waleed Abdalati (NASA/HQ): Scientist
Richard Alley (Pennsylvania State University): Scientist
Serdar Manizade (NASA/GSFC Wallops): Scientist
Konrad Steffen (University of Colorado): Scientist
Gordon Hamilton (University of Maine): Scientist
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio The Blue Marble data is courtesy of Reto Stockli (NASA/GSFC). Jeffrey E. Schmaltz (NASA/SSAI)

Short URL to share this page:
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/3374

Missions:
Landsat
Terra

Data Used:
Terra/MODIS
06/25/2003 (Greenland)
Terra and Aqua/MODIS/Blue Marble Land Cover
Credit:
The Blue Marble data is courtesy of Reto Stockli (NASA/GSFC).
Landsat-7/ETM+/Band Combination 3, 2, 1
07/07/2001, 09/03/2002, 08/23/2003, 10/03/2004
Terra/ASTER/Band Combination 3, 2, 1
07/02/2005, 08/08/2006
Landsat/TM/Calving Front Line
Analysis - 07/07/2001, 09/03/2002, 08/23/2003, 10/03/2004
Calving front lines derived from Landsat imagery.
Terra/ASTER/Calving Front Lines
Analysis - 07/02/2005, 08/08/2006
Calving front lines derived from Terra/ASTER imagery.
Note: While we identify the data sets used in these visualizations, we do not store any further details nor the data sets themselves on our site.

This item is part of this series:
NASM2006

Goddard TV Tape:
G2007-001HD -- NASA's HD Climate Change Resource Tape

Keywords:
DLESE >> Cryology
SVS >> HDTV
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Cryosphere
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Hydrosphere >> Snow/Ice
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Cryosphere >> Glaciers/Ice Sheets >> Glacier Motion/Ice Sheet Motion
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Cryosphere >> Glaciers/Ice Sheets >> Glaciers
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Cryosphere >> Sea Ice >> Ice Floes
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Cryosphere >> Sea Ice >> Ice Growth/Melt
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Cryosphere >> Sea Ice >> Sea Ice Motion
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Cryosphere >> Snow/Ice >> Freeze/Thaw
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Cryosphere >> Snow/Ice >> Ice Motion
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Hydrosphere >> Snow/Ice >> Ice Motion
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Oceans >> Sea Ice >> Ice Extent
SVS >> Glaciers
NASA Science >> Earth

GCMD keywords can be found on the Internet with the following citation: Olsen, L.M., G. Major, K. Shein, J. Scialdone, S. Ritz, T. Stevens, M. Morahan, A. Aleman, R. Vogel, S. Leicester, H. Weir, M. Meaux, S. Grebas, C.Solomon, M. Holland, T. Northcutt, R. A. Restrepo, R. Bilodeau, 2013. NASA/Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Earth Science Keywords. Version 8.0.0.0.0