Bye to Thule, For Now

On March 31, the P-3 departed Thule, Greenland. IceBridge teams flew a science transit flight to Kangerlussaq, Greenland, where missions will be based for the next several weeks before returning to Thule. Along the route, instruments surveyed several targets of opportunity including two ground tracks of the Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) and several glaciers (Rink, Kangerdlugssuaq, Jakobshavn and Russell), turning up great data and spectacular views.

March 29 was another perfect day for a land ice flight. The P-3 flew between deep canyons and over glaciers along the northwest coast of Greenland.

But before the start of land ice flights, IceBridge reached a key milestone over sea ice. On March 28, IceBridge flew its eighth sea ice flight marking the completion of all high- and medium-priority sea ice missions planned from Thule. Among the sea ice missions was a science transit back from Fairbanks to Thule on March 25, during which the P-3 surveyed in complete darkness. Researchers watched the scanning pattern of the green lasers on the sea ice below and the beautiful Aurora Borealis above.

To learn more about Ice Bridge go to: www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/icebridge/news/spr11/index.html

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center 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.

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