The real blue planet: Incredible NASA image shows Antarctic iceberg surrounded with a 'glowing halo'

 In 2017, NASA's Operation IceBridge flew for the ninth year over Antarctica to map the ice.

This video features photographs of land ice and sea ice, shot with a handheld camera and with the Digital Mapping System (DMS), during IceBridge flights in November 2017.

 From DailyMail by Cheyenne MacDonald

NASA’s airborne Operation IceBridge mission has captured a stunning image of an Antarctic iceberg surrounded by an otherworldly blue halo.
At first glance, the striking neon color appears artificial – but, according to the space agency, the submerged layer of the eroded iceberg truly is ‘the bluest of ice’

Stunning new image from NASA's Operation IceBridge mission

shows a blue 'glowing' iceberg in Antarctica

According to NASA, the effect is the result of blue light in the water of Antarctica's McMurdo Sound
As the water erodes the iceberg, and changes its shape, the older, bluer layers are brought to the surface
NASA’s airborne Operation IceBridge mission has captured a stunning image of an Antarctic iceberg surrounded by an otherworldly blue halo.
At first glance, the striking neon color appears artificial – but, according to the space agency, the submerged layer of the eroded iceberg truly is ‘the bluest of ice.’

The remarkable effect was spotted during a flight to Victoria Land, as the aircraft passed over Antarctica’s McMurdo Sound.
Operation IceBridge wrapped up its Antarctic survey earlier this week, marking the completion of five polar campaigns this year.

 The beauty of ice

The stunning image of the glowing iceberg was captured on November 29, revealing the incredible effect of blue light from the Sound.
‘The undersides of some icebergs can be eroded away, exposing older, denser, and incredible blue ice,’ NASA explains.
‘Erosion can change in iceberg’s shape and cause it to flip, bringing the sculpted blue ice above the water’s surface.
‘The unique step-like shape of this berg – compared to the tabular and more stable berg in the top-right of the image – suggests that it likely rotated sometime after calving.’

Flying low over the Earth's southernmost continent, Operation IceBridge is wrapping up its eighth consecutive field season of mapping the ice sheet and glaciers of Antarctica, as well as the surrounding sea ice.

With more than 300 hours logged in the air over 24 science flights, the mission is considering 2016 one of the most successful seasons yet.

The mission recently completed several flights out of the McMurdo and Amundsen-Scott South Pole stations.
This year was the ninth consecutive year the space agency has conducted flights over the continent.
NASA recently released a series of dramatic images taken during the course of its Antarctic survey.
The images include sweeping shots of mountains and land ice, carpets of icebergs spreading from the Antarctic coast, and even a snap of a researcher taking a rest during a return flight.

Links :

• GeoGarage blog :  NASA Operation Ice Bridge : High and Low over the Rift