Jakobshavn Glacier: How Fast Is The ‘World’s Fastest Melting’ Glacier

Satellite images from NASA show that the Jakobshavn glacier, the fastest-moving in Greenland, shed 4.8 square miles of ice, resulting in one of the most dramatic calving events in history.

It is estimated that the glacier lost a total area of 12.5 square kilometers.

The images suggest that before ice calving occurred, the glacier first moved westward from July 27 to August 13.

Satellite images depict that the chunk got separated sometime between 13 and 19 August.

Though the calving event is significant by Greenland standards, it would be dwarfed by the icebergs released by Antarctica’s glaciers. Icebergs of such tremendous size are often too big to make much progress in their early days of freedom – resting in the shallow of the fjord until they melt enough to float more freely.

Jakobshavn glacier drains 6.5% of the Greenland ice sheet, producing round 10% its icebergs.

Studied for over 250 years, the Jakobshavn glacier has helped to develop our understanding of the significance of ice streams and in local weather change, icecap glaciology, and the way they have an effect on sea degree.

However, NASA reports these estimates are preliminary and before and after satellite images can not fully explain whether the ice was lost all at once or through a series of smaller events.

The Sentinel-2a satellite is Europe’s new optical spacecraft, that comprises twin polar-orbiting satellites in the same orbit at 180 to each other, and can provide context imagery. While Sentinel-1A is an all-weather, day-and-night radar imaging mission, Sentinel-2A carries a multispectral imager.

Since radar can “see” by means of clouds and in the dead of night, Sentinel-1A it’s notably helpful for maritime surveillance, ship security, sea-ice charting and ice-sheet monitoring.

An iceberg calving happens when chunks of ice break off the edge of a glacier and is considered a form of ice disruption. The red, green and blue indicate the position of the calving front and other dynamic features on each respective date.

Collectively, these and future Sentinels, particularly the upcoming Sentinel-Three mission, will add additional complementary measurements for operational purposes and scientific functions.