For many years, scientists have expected that climate change will be more rapid and dramatic at the poles than at lower latitudes, an expectation that has been demonstrated both with climate models and recent observations of snow and ice, surface temperatures, vegetation, and permafrost.
Published Feb 1, 2007
Acquired June 28, 2010, this natural-color mosaic shows largely sunny skies over the Arctic, occurring at the same time as near round-the-clock sunlight.
Published Jul 6, 2010
Melt ponds on the surface, exposed rock, and changes in snow cover are reducing the reflection of sunlight, causing even more melting.
Published Jan 10, 2012
As the summer solstice approaches in the Northern Hemisphere, long hours of sunlight brought unusually rapid ice loss
Published Jul 8, 2012
Captured near the end of 2012, this image shows a mixture of sea ice, land ice, and fresh snow.
Published Jan 6, 2013
On February 24, 2008—late summer in the Southern Hemisphere—the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this image of lingering sea ice in the Southern Ocean.
Published Feb 28, 2008
Snow and ice play an important role in keeping our planet cool, though not in the way you might think.
Published May 19, 2011
Satellites confirm that the Arctic has been absorbing more solar radiation over the past 15 years, a trend that coincides with a decline in sea ice and increase in open water.
Published Dec 19, 2014
The ice cap tied for the sixth lowest extent on record, continuing a long-term decline.
Published Sep 28, 2018Image of the Day Water Snow and Ice Remote Sensing Sea and Lake Ice
In a photo-like satellite image, the faintest of shadows or shading of grey may give them away, but more often, clouds over the poles simply disappear against the background, camouflaged from the satellite’s view by the underlying snow and sea ice. For those trying to track clouds from space, to understand cloud physics, say, or to predict the weather, the problem is frustrating. Only with a combination of visible and invisible wavelengths of light, such as infrared light, do clouds become distinct from the snow and ice below.
Published Feb 3, 2007
