Animation: How a Glacier Melts

When warm summer air melts the surface of a glacier, the meltwater bores holes down through the ice. It makes its way all the way down to the bottom of the glacier where it runs between the ice and the glacier bed, and eventually shoots out in a plume at the glacier base and into the surrounding ocean.

The meltwater plume is lighter than the surrounding ocean water because it doesn't contain salt. So it rises toward the surface, mixing the warm ocean water upward in the process. The warm water then rubs up against the bottom of the glacier, causing even more of the glacier to melt. This often leads to calving – ice cracking and breaking off into large ice chunks (icebergs) – at the front end, or terminus of the glacier.

Video credit: NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Esprit Smith (JPL): Lead Producer
Josh Willis (JPL): Lead Scientist and Narrator

[SB]

Uttrakhand state of india made me come here.

[MikeHermo]

I've never understood why the "calving" of glaciers created such forceful waves. Kudos NASA, you intelligent little space agency.

[paushalipolley]

Its beautifully portrayed and very easy to understand

[charmaine]

If it's recommended means it's reached its particular level of audience and now it's spreading to a wider group of viewers.... this was probably searched for before...

[Selena_]

YouTube's sense of humor is getting dark 😳😳😳😳

[twinkle]

Ahh!!! Wonder.. If glacier kept on melting like this what would be the outcome.. ✌️ save world.. 🙏

[nalininanda]

Preparing for PSC n here is where i could finally understand the basic bcz in PSC channels they are teaching types n formation but not the basic .Thanx alot

[sushant]

Fun Fact : HALF OF THE VIEWERS ARE INDIAN
🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳

[RitikSingh-rpjy]

You made the concept lucid. Thank you.

[wildfuntw]

當夏季溫暖的空氣融化冰川表面時，融水會在冰上鑽洞。
然後，溫暖的水在冰川底部摩擦，導致更多的冰川融化。

[basitnazir]

Glaciers to us: Don't ever underestimate me

[jewmenomorev]

NASA is so good at animation. Everything they have ever produced is animated of filmed in a studio

[ravicheema]

A very informative video regarding how glaciers are melting. Really piqued my interest and makes this so interesting to learn and share! Thank you!

[joydeepbose]

Got recommended after Uttrakhand tragedy.

[jpgaming]

I’m going to be a college freshman next fall and want to study aerospace. What else should I do to prepare myself for a career with nasa?

[lastword]

Now similar situation happened in India...😔😔😔

[torino]

Al Gore predicted the end of the world in 2014, yet there's more sea ice now than there was then! The ice that refuses to melt! 😂

[dileshsarojkar]

Thanks for this Valuable information🤔❓Glacier Melts from down to its height and floats across ocean and sea level rises🌊🌊🌊...

[narayanisiware]

Thanks nasa to improve our understanding about our surrounding world

[anandhunt]

first time i understood in my life how glaciers works