The vast Malaspina Glacier– or Sít Tlein, Tlingit for “huge glacier”– is located primarily within Wrangell-St. Several other glaciers, such as the Agassiz, likewise fan out onto this plain and coalesce to form the bigger Malaspina.
Glaciers in this area of Alaska regularly “rise” or lurch forward for one to several years. At the terminus, or end, of the glacier, a thin strip of land develops a barrier between the ice and the Gulf of Alaska.
Malaspina Glacier: A Geological Marvel
The sprawling Malaspina Glacier– or Sít Tlein, Tlingit for “big glacier”– is situated mostly within Wrangell-St. A number of other glaciers, such as the Agassiz, likewise fan out onto this plain and coalesce to form the larger Malaspina.
Moraines: Markers of Glacial Movement
The dark blueish-purple lines on the ice are moraines– areas where soil, rock, and other debris have actually been scraped up by the glacier and deposited along its edges. The zigzag pattern of the particles is brought on by changes in the ices speed. Glaciers in this area of Alaska regularly “surge” or stumble forward for one to numerous years. As an outcome of this irregular circulation, the moraines can fold, compress, and shear to form the characteristic textures seen on Malaspina.
The Glaciers Interaction With the Ocean
At the terminus, or end, of the glacier, a thin strip of land creates a barrier in between the ice and the Gulf of Alaska. This might lead to large-scale calving and speed up the glaciers retreat.
NASA Earth Observatory image by Wanmei Liang, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey.
Satellite view of Malaspina Glacier on the southeastern coast of Alaska captured on October 27, 2023, by the Operational Land Imager-2 on Landsat 9.
An unanticipated color combination reveals the functions of a renowned glacial landscape in southeastern Alaska.
To human eyes, glacial ice normally looks white tinged with blue. But in this false-color satellite image, the rippled ice of Alaskas Malaspina Glacier appears more fiery than frosty.
Satellite Imaging Reveals Unique Hues
This view of Malaspina Glacier on the southeastern coast of Alaska was caught by Landsat 9s OLI-2 (Operational Land Imager-2) on October 27, 2023. The coastal/aerosol, near infrared, and shortwave infrared bands are displayed here: a band mix of 1-5-7. In this configuration, watery functions are shown in oranges, reds, and yellows; plants appears green; and rock is shown in tones of blue.