|
|
 |
Antarctica: Larsen Ice Shelf Side by Side Comparison
|
In 1978, scientists predicted that global warming would lead to a disintegration of Antarctic Peninsula ice shelves. Spaceborne data indicate that this prediction may be coming true. In these before and after images, note the dramatic change in the apparent shoreline. Scientists captured the first image using the ERS-1 satellite in 1992. As seen in the second image, collected by RADARSAT in 1997, huge changes have come to the coastline. In 1995, a 2000 square kilometer section of the ice shelf collapsed into thousands of fragments that eventually drifted out to sea. Researchers are still debating why the ice shelf broke up so dramatically, and what significance the break up has for interpreting local versus global changes to the environment. Theories include a series of warmer than usual summers which may have caused high levels of surface melting, or an overall climate warming trend.
|
|
|
|
A side by side comparsion of the Larsen Ice Shelf before (1992) and after (1997) the collapse in 1995.
Available formats:
720 x 486
JPEG
82 KB
320 x 216
JPEG
17 KB
|
|
|
|
Larsen Ice Shelf in 1992, prior to the collapse in 1995.
Available formats:
720 x 486
TIFF
636 KB
320 x 216
JPEG
18 KB
|
|
|
|
Larsen Ice Shelf in 1997, after the collapse in 1995.
Available formats:
720 x 486
TIFF
628 KB
320 x 216
JPEG
18 KB
80 x 40
PNG
6 KB
|
| Animation Number: | 1400 |
| Animators: | Stuart A. Snodgrass (Lead) |
| | Marte Newcombe |
| Studio: | SVS |
| Completed: | 1999-11-08 |
| Scientist: | Ken Jezek (Ohio State University) |
| Instruments: | ERS-1
|
| | RADARSAT-1/SAR |
| Data Collected: | 1992, 1997/09/26-1997/11/04 |
| Series: | Antarctica |
| Video: | SVS1999-1007 * |
Keywords:
DLESE
>> Cryology
SVS
>> Ice Shelf
SVS
>> Larsen
GCMD
>> Location
>> Antarctica
|
More Information on this topic available at:
stories/antarctica/index.html
|
|
Please give credit for this item to
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Scientific Visualization Studio. Additional credit goes to Canadian Space Agency, RADARSAT International Inc. |
*Please note: the SVS does not fulfill requests for copies of the tapes in our library. On some of our animation pages, there is a direct link to a video distribution service from which tapes, handled by the Public Affairs Office (PAO)/Goddard TV, including some of our animations may be ordered. General information on this service can be found here. |
|
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
