This huge glacier discharges more ice into the ocean than any other glacier in the Northern Hemisphere. The helicopter that looks so tiny in the beginning of the video gives a good idea of the staggering immensity of the ice face. Ilulissat is four miles (six and a half kilometers) wide, and the cliff face you see here can be well over 300 feet (92 meters) tall. The glacier gallops along at a speed of about 125 feet (38 meters) a day, double what it was 10 years ago, apparently due to warming temperatures and meltwater that lubricates the glacier bed.
The Extreme Ice Survey is honored to feature our own layer with photos and time-lapse videos on Google Earth. Click here for more information on Google Earth and how to view our layer.
