SL2-05-380 (22 June 1973) --- Ottawa, in the province of Ontario, (46.5N, 75.5W) is the capital of Canada and can be seen near the bottom of this scene on the Ottawa River. The region shown lies within the Canadian Shield. The glaciated surface of the land is underlain by lower Precambrian granite and sedimentary rock. Long fractures within these crystalline rocks have, in places, been carved out by glacial action. The resultant depressions are often water filled bogs and lakes. Photo credit: NASA
Ottawa, Quebec Province, Canada and Glaciated Landscape
SL2-05-389 (22 June 1973) --- This scene displays the southeastern part of Michigan's Lower Peninsula and adjacent Ontario, Canada (43.0N, 84.0W). Detroit can be recognized by its radial pattern of development and sediment plumes in the rivers from the massive industrial activity. The area pockmarked by lakes northwest of Detroit essentially outlines the limits of the Defiance Moraine caused by the stagnation and melting of Ice Age glaciers. Photo credit: NASA
Detroit and the Lower Peninsula of Michigan
The Thwaites Ice Tongue is a large sheet of glacial ice extending from the West Antarctic mainland into the southern Amundsen Sea. A large crack in the Thwaites Tongue was discovered in imagery from Terra's Moderate Resolution Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MODIS). Subsequent widening of the crack led to the calving of a large iceberg. The development of this berg, designated B-22 by the National Ice Center, can be observed in these images from the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer, also aboard Terra. The two views were acquired by MISR's nadir (vertical-viewing) camera on March 10 and 24, 2002.  The B-22 iceberg, located below and to the left of image center, measures approximately 82 kilometers long x 62 kilometers wide. Comparison of the two images shows the berg to have drifted away from the ice shelf edge. The breakup of ice near the shelf edge, in the area surrounding B-22, is also visible in the later image.  These natural-color images were acquired during Terra orbits 11843 and 12047, respectively. At the right-hand edge is Pine Island Bay, where the calving of another large iceberg (B-21) occurred in November 2001. B-21 subsequently split into two smaller bergs, both of which are visible to the right of B-22.  http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA03700
Icebergs Adrift in the Amundsen Sea
The voyage of Iceberg B-31 continued in January, 2014 as the giant iceberg drifted over the frigid waters of Pine Island Bay and widened the gap between the newly-calved iceberg and the “mother” glacier.  Between November 9 and 11, 20143 a giant crack in the Pine Island Glacier gave completely away, liberating Iceberg B-31 from the end of the glacial tongue. The new iceberg was estimated to be 35 km by 20 km (21 mi by 12 mi) in size – or roughly the size of Singapore.  On January 5, 2014 the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Terra satellite captured this true-color image of B-31 floating in the center of Pine Island Bay on an approach to the Amundsen Sea. Pine Island Glacier can be seen on the upper right coast of the bay, and is marked by parallel lines in the ice. According to measurements reported by the National U.S. Ice Center, on January 10, B-31 was maintaining its size, and was located at 74°24'S and 104°33'W.  Credit: NASA/GSFC/Jeff Schmaltz/MODIS Land Rapid Response Team  <b><a href="http://www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelines.html" rel="nofollow">NASA image use policy.</a></b>  <b><a href="http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/home/index.html" rel="nofollow">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a></b> enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.  <b>Follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/NASA_GoddardPix" rel="nofollow">Twitter</a></b>  <b>Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Greenbelt-MD/NASA-Goddard/395013845897?ref=tsd" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a></b>  <b>Find us on <a href="http://instagrid.me/nasagoddard/?vm=grid" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a></b>
Iceberg from Pine Island Glacier, Antarctica