These swirling chunks of ice move off the coast of Greenland, as seen in this photo taken from space on 4 June 2024. Sea ice from the Arctic drifts down the 450 kilometres (280 miles) wide Fram Strait, which connects the Arctic Ocean and the Greenland Sea. In the process, it breaks up into smaller pieces and begins to melt in the warmer ocean waters, forming the smoke-like eddies seen here.

In recent decades, sea ice in the Arctic Ocean has become too young and thin to make the journey southwards. The movement of sea ice and freshwater out of the Arctic is part of ocean circulation patterns that distribute heat around the planet and contribute to climate conditions worldwide. Therefore, scientists are closely watching how these ice masses move.

Image description:

The image, taken from space, shows an icy shore and dark blue ocean. There are chunks of ice floating in the ocean; some are distinct as separate blocks, but others are so small that they swirl like cream in the ocean.