Earth from space: Vatnajökull, Iceland
Today’s Video of the Day from the European Space Agency features a Copernicus Sentinel-2 view of the Vatnajökull ice cap in southeast Iceland.
Vatnajökull is the biggest glacier in Europe, covering an area of more than 3,200 square miles.
The ice cap has about 30 outlet glaciers, many of which are shrinking as a result of rising temperatures. One of these glaciers, Vatnajökull, is positioned over some of the most active volcanoes in Iceland such as Bárðarbunga and Grímsvötn.
On the southern side of Vatnajökull, the Jökulsárlón glacial lake has grown to become Iceland’s deepest lake. Because it connects with the ocean, the lake contains both seawater and freshwater.
Video Credit: ESA
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By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer