Image of the day

The Exploradores glacier, in Chile, closed due to ice sheet conditions

Earth Observation | Copernicus
Glaciers
The Exploradores glacier, in Chile, closed due to ice sheet conditions
Location: Glaciar Exploradores, Chile
Credit: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery

Due to the fragile and thin ice layer in certain areas of its surface, the Exploradores glacier in Chile's Laguna San Rafael National Park has been temporarily closed to tourists, following an ice fall occurred on 6 October. Drone images gathered by Chilean government hydrologists since 2020 indicate that the glacier has been thinning at a rate of 0.5 metres per year.

This image of the Exploradores glacier was acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel 2 satellites on 22 October.  

Copernicus satellite data enables glacier monitoring and trackingchanges in extent, ice thickness, and movement.

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