NASA scientists discover a ‘red heartbeat’ in a glacier in Norway

For several years, NASA has tracked the movement of ice on Edgeøya, an island in southeastern Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago located in the Artic Circle, with particular focus on the Stonebreen glacier. The region is almost uninhabited and is characterized by vast ice fields that change throughout the year. NASA refers to these changes as “pulses” and displays them in red on an animated graphic on its website.

In other words, the ice itself is not red. The color is simply the visual choice NASA uses to highlight changes in the glacier’s surface ice over the course of the year, caused by the seasonal acceleration and deceleration of ice flow. The graphic is based on data collected between 2014 and 2022 and shows monthly variations in the movement of Stonebreen.

During winter and spring, the ice moves more slowly. By late summer, however, it flows toward the sea at speeds exceeding 1,200 meters per year. According to Chad Greene, a glaciologist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the summer acceleration occurs because meltwater seeps from the glacier’s surface down to its base, where the ice rests on bedrock.

In the graphic, darker shades indicate faster movement of the ice.

The unusual “surge-type” glaciers

Stonebreen is a particularly interesting glacier. It is classified as a surge-type glacier, meaning it can suddenly advance very rapidly over a short period after remaining relatively stable, or moving very slowly, for years or even decades. Only about 1 percent of the world’s glaciers are surge-type, although they are more common in Svalbard.

According to NASA, prior to 2023 Stonebreen spent several years advancing quickly as its front melted. Even during that period of growth, the glacier followed a seasonal pattern, accelerating in summer and slowing in winter, while continuing its overall faster flow toward the Barents Sea.

Since 2023, however, the glacier has nearly come to a halt. The only notable exception occurs during summer, when melting causes slight movement. In other words, Stonebreen appears to have entered a calmer phase. NASA describes these seasonal patterns as pulses that resemble a heartbeat.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.