SourceA Bare Summer for Barnes Ice Cap
Loss of reflective snow allows darker ice to absorb more heat, accelerating melting. This causes meltwater to drain away instead of refreezing, reducing overall ice mass.
- Images acquired by Landsat 9's Operational Land Imager on July 12, 2026, showed bare ice, vivid blue meltwater pools, and extensive drainage channels.
- Glaciologist Mauri Pelto noted that mid-July snow loss on the ice cap was the earliest recorded.
- Early exposure of darker bare ice accelerates solar absorption and meltwater runoff.