Open Access“Crack!” in the polar night
Author(s) -
Bindschadler Robert,
Rignot Eric
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
eos, transactions american geophysical union
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 2324-9250
pISSN - 0096-3941
DOI - 10.1029/01eo00294
Subject(s) - rift , glacier , iceberg , geology , antarctic ice sheet , ice sheet , paleontology , physical geography , oceanography , cryosphere , geography , sea ice , tectonics
It happened during the long dark, polar night just over a year ago. It wasn't noticed until months later. Its climatic significance isn't clear yet, but it provides new insight into the process by which the Antarctic ice sheet periodically launches massive icebergs from around its perimeter and heightens concern that this area of Earth's largest frozen continent is changing. “It” is the sudden formation of a large rift nearly three‐fourths of the distance across the Pine Island Glacier (75°S, 102°W), a major outlet glacier of the West Antarctic ice sheet. The long rift was observed independently by researchers reviewing images collected in two separate mappings of Antarctica with two different sensors. The initial analysis of this dramatic event, including a prognosis of the rift's future growth and impending iceberg formation, incorporates recently collected data from no less than six sensors on five satellites operated by three space agencies.This study illustrates beautifully the new power of multisensor monitoring of the Earth from space.