Larsen B Ice Shelf Before and After Collapse

Slide between these two natural-color, pan-sharpened Landsat images to see the transformation of the Larsen B Ice Shelf. The December 31, 2001 image shows the shelf intact along the Antarctic Peninsula, with blue meltwater pools visible on its surface. Just months later, a sudden collapse shattered much of the ice shelf. By December 18, 2002, the second image reveals only remnants of Larsen B, highlighting the rapid impact of ice shelf disintegration. Landsat’s long-term observations provide essential data for understanding changes in ice stability in polar regions.