Archive - Lago Grey Icebergs

December 04, 2016

Icebergs

Each Sunday we present a notable item from our archives. This EPOD was originally published December 11, 2003.

Provided and copyright by: Drew Patrick, Fox Lane High School
Summary authors & editors: Drew Patrick

The photo above was taken from an island in Lago (Lake) Grey, Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia, Chile. In the background, the Grey Glacier can be seen spilling into the lake. The relatively warm temperatures on this day resulted in several of these icebergs calving right in front of us - making an unmistakable sound. In general, the glaciers in southern Chile have been receding during the last two decades. The blue to green colors seen in many icebergs results from the myriad ice crystals more effectively absorbing the longer wavelengths of light (reds and yellows) than the shorter (blue and green) wavelengths. See also the Earth Science Picture of the Day for April 18, 2002.

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