Rivers that empty into large bodies of water can have a significantimpact on the thawing of nearshore winter ice. This true-color Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)image from May 18, 2001, shows the Nelson River emptying spring runofffrom the Manitoba province to the south into the southwestern corner ofCanada's Hudson Bay. The warmer waters from more southern latitudeshasten melting of ice near the shore, though some still remained,perhaps because in shallow coastal waters, the ice could have beenanchored to the bottom.
High volumes of sediment in the runoff turned the inflow brown, andthe rim of the retreating ice has taken on a dirty appearance even farto the east of the river's entrance into the Bay. The sediment wouldhave further hastened the melting of the ice because its darker colorwould have absorbed more solar radiation than cleaner, whiter ice.
References & Resources
Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC
