November 22, 2024

Midnight Ice: Landsat Unlocks Polar Mysteries With Night Vision

Landsat satellites have discovered their capability to keep track of polar areas in darkness, leading to year-round information collection and brand-new insights into ice dynamics.Landsat satellites have begun routinely obtaining images of ice at the poles throughout the winter season, with informing results.Scientists that study polar ice have understood a hidden talent of the Landsat satellites: seeing in the dark. These instruments use much better spatial resolution than other frequently utilized satellite thermal sensors and can much better distinguish glacial ice and ocean features such as ice fronts, rifts, sea ice leads, and polynyas.Advancements in Polar Ice ObservationThrough the LEAP strategy, the satellites have regularly imaged sea ice at both poles, even when the Sun is below the horizon. In this image, arced areas of warmer temperature levels suggest thinner ice or open water where sea ice is being blown offshore, away from fast ice in the Larsen A and B embayments.July 23, 2023Features in the image get substantially chillier to the south.

Landsat satellites have actually revealed their ability to monitor polar areas in darkness, leading to year-round data collection and brand-new insights into ice dynamics.Landsat satellites have started routinely acquiring images of ice at the poles throughout the winter, with enlightening results.Scientists that study polar ice have realized a covert talent of the Landsat satellites: seeing in the dark. These instruments use much better spatial resolution than other frequently utilized satellite thermal sensing units and can better identify glacial ice and ocean features such as ice fronts, rifts, sea ice leads, and polynyas.Advancements in Polar Ice ObservationThrough the LEAP plan, the satellites have actually regularly imaged sea ice at both poles, even when the Sun is below the horizon. “The contrast in between the cold polar ice and the warmth thats preserved in the ocean waters is so apparent,” Shuman said.Along the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula, two big areas of the greater Larsen Ice Shelf when drifted in the Larsen A and B embayments. Now, instead of including the floating extensions of glacial ice from land, the embayments often fill with seasonal sea ice. In this image, arced locations of warmer temperature levels indicate thinner ice or open water where sea ice is being blown offshore, away from fast ice in the Larsen A and B embayments.July 23, 2023Features in the image get considerably cooler to the south.