Above, we witness the mesmerizing patterns formed by sea ice drifting on ocean currents.
Photos captured by NASA‘s Terra satellite using MODIS reveal delicate pieces of sea ice moving along the Greenland coastline.
Similar to snowflakes in a blizzard, the swirling ice patterns appear to be crafted by the currents within the ocean.
Experts believe this ice originated from the Arctic Ocean and then drifted southwards through the Fram Strait to reach the coast east of Greenland. The East Greenland Current likely guided its journey, causing gradual melting. Some ice chunks could be quite small, possibly only several feet in size.
In a statement, Walt Meier expressed that smaller, wispy patterns are particularly captivating.
The stunning spirals in the photo are formed as fragments of the Greenland Ice Sheet are carried by the wind.
Meier explains that the thinning and breaking of ice make it more susceptible to movement by wind and currents.
Sea ice can be classified into different types, such as first-year ice that forms and melts within a year, as well as multi-year ice, which is thicker and more resilient. The larger ice pieces likely originated near the coast and remain undamaged from their voyage.
Climate change has led to a decrease in Arctic sea ice thickness.
In a NASA release, Angela Bliss notes that previously, more sea ice flowed through the Fram Strait when the Arctic ice survived summer seasons and grew thicker.
Climate change has played a role in reducing Arctic sea ice volume near Greenland. Elevated temperatures accelerate ice melting, resulting in longer ice-free summers and delayed winter freezing.
The diminished flow of sea ice past Greenland could impact global ocean circulations dependent on this movement.
Bliss warns of significant implications on ocean productivity and increasing upper ocean temperatures due to reduced ice and fresh water transport.