In late July, 2012, sea ice and clouds formed an intricate pattern over the Greenland Sea as the summer melt progresses. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Aqua satellite captured this true-color image on July 28, 2012. A part of Greenland’s surface ice sheet melts each summer, with most of the high-elevation ice quickly refreezing in place. Near the coast, some of the annual melt remains as part of the ice sheet, and some is lost to the ocean. The amount of melting varies somewhat each year. Image and more information is found on MODIS website.

Bands Used: 1, 4, 3
Credit: NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.