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Summary

McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

From: http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view_rec.php?id=2414

Credit: Image by Robert Simmon, based on data provided by the NASA GSFC Oceans and Ice Branch and the Landsat 7 Science Team

One of the few areas of Antarctica not covered by thousands of meters of ice, the McMurdo Dry Valleys stand out in this satellite image. For a few weeks each summer temperatures are warm enough to melt glacial ice, creating streams that feed freshwater lakes that lie at the bottom of the valleys. Beneath a cap of ice these lakes remains unfrozen year-round, supporting colonies of bacteria and phytoplankton. Over the past 14 years, however, summers have been colder than usual, and the lakes are becoming more and more frozen. If the trend continues, the biological communities they support may go into hibernation.

Most of Antarctica has cooled along with the Dry Valleys, in contrast to much of the rest of the Earth, which has warmed over the past 100 years. No one knows if the trend is related to global climate, or just a quirk in the weather.

This image was acquired by Landsat 7’s Enhanced Thematic Mapper plus (ETM+) instrument on December 18, 1999.

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Public domain This file is in the public domain in the United States because it was solely created by NASA. NASA copyright policy states that "NASA material is not protected by copyright unless noted". (See Template:PD-USGov, NASA copyright policy page or JPL Image Use Policy.)
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Date/TimeThumbnailDimensionsUserComment
current20:45, 4 July 2007Thumbnail for version as of 20:45, 4 July 20076,245 × 3,640 (2.96 MB)XhienneLosslessly removed progressive marker so that a thumbnail can be generated
00:51, 2 January 2006Thumbnail for version as of 00:51, 2 January 20066,245 × 3,640 (2.91 MB)AudeMcMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica ''From: [http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view_rec.php?id=2414 http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view_rec.php?id=2414] Credit: Image by Robert Simmon, based on data provided by the NASA GSFC Oceans and Ice Branch and the Landsat 7

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