‘Webcam’ from Space – Envisat observing Wilkins Ice Shelf
The Wilkins Ice Shelf, a broad plate of floating ice off the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, has undergone many changes in 2008.
Due to the warming in the Antarctic spring (late November), newly formed rifts were discovered that scientists predict could lead to the opening of the ice bridge that connects the ice shelf to two islands, Charcot and Latady.
If the ice bridge were to open, it could put the entire ice shelf at risk of disintegrating.
ESA’s Envisat acquires images of the ice shelf daily with its Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) instrument. These images are updated automatically on the Wilkins 'Webcam' from Space web page and placed in an animation to allow visitors to spot changes between acquisitions. Individual images can also be viewed in the image archive.
'Webcam from Space' web page at:
http://www.esa.int/esaEO/SEMWZS5DHNF_index_0.html
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Earth Sciences (also referred to as Geosciences), which deals with basic issues surrounding our planet, plays a vital role in the area of energy and raw materials supply.
Earth Sciences comprises subjects such as geology, geography, geological informatics, paleontology, mineralogy, petrography, crystallography, geophysics, geodesy, glaciology, cartography, photogrammetry, meteorology and seismology, early-warning systems, earthquake research and polar research.
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