Satellite Imagery Captures Stunning Seasonal Changes in East Antarctica’s Terra Nova Bay

The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission has unveiled stunning imagery of Terra Nova Bay, located in East Antarctica, capturing its breathtaking and icy terrain. This latest satellite photograph, taken on February 14, corresponds with the Southern Hemisphere’s late summer and reveals the bay’s striking seasonal conditions, characterized by minimal sea ice coverage and extensive expanses of dark open water. These dark patches highlight the seasonal shifts impacting the surrounding ice landscape, where varying types of sea ice, from delicate new formations to substantial floes, drift across the ocean surface. The intricate patterns formed by these ice fragments point to the ocean currents that influence their movement, creating fascinating swirling formations.

In the lower section of the image, larger chunks of sea ice and icebergs are prominently displayed at the seaward edge of Drygalski Ice Tongue, a glacial sheet that extends approximately 70 kilometers into the Ross Sea, embodying a continuation of the David Glacier. To the north of Drygalski, the Nansen Ice Sheet spreads out, supplied by several significant outlet glaciers, including Larsen Glacier, Reeves Glacier, and the northern-bound Priestley Glacier. The surface of this ice sheet exhibits clear flow lines that denote the direction of ice migration toward the ocean.

On the eastern side of the Nansen Ice Sheet, a series of coastal hills known as the Northern Foothills rise, separated from the Deep Freeze Range to the north by the Browning Pass. Within this region lies the Italian Zucchelli Station, operational since the 1980s, positioned along the southern headland of the bay. A closer look at the imagery reveals the straight lines of one of the station’s runways just south of the main facility. Other research establishments, including the German Gondwana Station and South Korea’s Jang Bogo Station, are found further north along the same inlet, adjacent to Campbell Glacier’s southern-reaching tongue.

In addition to its dramatic glacial features, the vicinity of Inexpressible Island—home to China’s Qinling Station—boasts an unexpected abundance of wildlife. Regions of both Inexpressible Island and the coastline of Victoria Land have been recognized as Important Bird Areas by BirdLife International, serving as habitats for numerous colonies of Adelie penguins and south polar skuas, emphasizing the ecological significance of this remote Antarctic locale.