Jacobshavn Isbrae is one of the fastest moving and most productive glaciers in the world. Scientists estimate that close to the snout (front) its movement has accelerated in recent years from 20 to 40 meters a day. At the same time that the front has accelerated the glacier has been rapidly retreating through ‘calving’ (large sections breaking off ). From the first time I heard we would be flying over this magnificent glacier I have been waiting; this is the high point of the project for me!
As we moved our operation back from Kangerlussuaq to Thule we would finally be flying over the Jacobshavn Isbrae. The science survey plan involved completing a large grid over the most rapidly reducing section of the glacier, an area scientists refer to as the ‘ablation zone’. I don’t think anything I say on this forum will do justice to the magnificence of the third of the ‘Big Three’ glaciers I have talked about in the previous posts (http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/blog/2010/05/10/greenlands-big-three-glaciers/). ‘Wow’ was what I felt when I finally looked down and saw it from the P3 window.