Surface texture above Rink Glacier

Interesting "stripes" of surface shading near the northern end of our lines today, above Rink Glacier.  These are not cloud shadows.  We have heard speculation that these quite common ice sheet optical features are created by wind, perhaps arranging snow crystals at the surface in a coherent manner, which then reflect the sunlight in a distinct way.  Note also the stratus cloud layer in the background, east of today's survey lines.

Credits
NASA/John Sonntag
Subject
Other
Mission
OIB

 

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