<\/p>\n
Greenland is capped with a vast ice sheet that spans<\/a> 1.7 million square kilometers (656,000 square miles) and measures more than 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) at its thickest point. Below all this ice lies a landscape human eyes have never seen directly. But a newly developed method for mapping this hidden bedrock has produced the most detailed and accurate view of it yet.<\/p>\nThe new map reveals an expansive network of valleys carved into the surface beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet. Many of the features formed well before most of the ice above them existed, offering new context for the island\u2019s geologic history\u2014and potentially helping scientists refine projections of the ice sheet\u2019s future. Scientists described the newly mapped valleys in a NASA-led paper published in Geophysical Research Letters<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\nThe map, shown above, was derived from a method called Ice Flow Perturbation Analysis. As ice flows over a valley or ridge, the topography leaves a faint signature on the ice surface. Satellites map the ice surface in fine detail, and scientists can use these subtle bumps and dips to infer the shape of the landscape buried below. The work aims to improve future versions of BedMachine Greenland<\/a>, a high-resolution dataset of the terrain beneath the ice sheet.<\/p>\nUsing the technique, researchers manually mapped 1,943 subglacial valleys beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet, about a third of which are newly identified. About half of the valleys included in BedMachine Greenland, primarily near the ice sheet\u2019s edge, are now known to extend farther inland than that map indicates, in some cases by hundreds of kilometers.<\/p>\nSome aspects of the new map align with the current understanding of how Greenland\u2019s landscapes formed. For instance, many of the valleys appear to begin in the southern and eastern highlands, where the ice sheet is thought to have first formed. Near the eastern highlands, the map reveals a mountain range beneath the ice, with interconnected valleys and relief that increases toward the coast. These alpine-style landforms may have survived under the ice since at least the Pliocene.<\/p>\nOther aspects of the topography are more puzzling. The analysis indicates numerous valleys, especially in the west-central region, that are long, straight, and consistently aligned in a southwest-northeast direction. This orientation suggests a tectonic influence, generating preferential pathways along which water could flow and valleys could form. \u201cThat\u2019s a riddle to us,\u201d said Joe MacGregor, a NASA cryospheric scientist and co-author of the study. \u201cGreenland is justifiably usually treated as a rigid block of old rock that is simply translated as needed to accommodate the motion and interactions of other tectonic plates.\u201d<\/p>\nSeparately, the angles at which the valleys branch offer another insight into their origin. Their relatively wide branching angles suggest that surface water didn\u2019t act alone; instead, a widespread groundwater network\u2014seeping upward and eroding the surrounding rock\u2014likely helped carve the valleys before the ice sheet formed.<\/p>\nMapping these valleys matters for understanding the ice sheet, which has continued to dramatically reshape the landscape. Ice flow concentrates in valleys, where it forms glaciers that eventually calve into fjords at the periphery of the ice sheet. This creates a reinforcing cycle: ice funneling through a valley gets thicker, thicker ice flows faster, and faster flow carves the valley even deeper.<\/p>\nThis carving power is especially evident along western Greenland. MacGregor likened it to the glacially incised landscape at Yosemite, with Greenland\u2019s western coast resembling, as he put it, \u201cEl Capitan after El Capitan.\u201d<\/p>\nStudying the valleys also matters for the ice sheet\u2019s future. Because the relationship between ice flow and valleys is well understood, scientists expect that as the ice sheet retreats, flow will continue to concentrate wherever the valleys already are. \u201cThe better we understand the topography now,\u201d MacGregor said, \u201cthe better sense we\u2019ll have of what it will look like in the longer term\u2014beyond the next decade or two\u2014as faster ice flow propagates into Greenland\u2019s interior.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\nNASA Earth Observatory map by Lauren Dauphin using data from Chartrand et al<\/a>. Story by Kathryn Hansen.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\tDownloads\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nBedrock Map<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (11.10 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/circle><\/path><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nReferences & Resources<\/h2>\n\nChartrand, A. M., et al<\/em>. (2026) A Vast Valley Network Beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet<\/a>. Geophysical Research Letters<\/em>, 53 (13), e2026GL122028.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\nYou may also be interested in:<\/h2>\nStay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nAn Uncommon Drifter in the Denmark Strait<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 4 min read <\/div>\nA large iceberg, observed in summer 2026, had drifted more than 1,000 kilometers south from the northeastern Greenland bay where\u2026<\/p>\n<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>Article<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nA Bare Summer for Barnes Ice Cap<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 4 min read <\/div>\nThe expanse of glacial ice on Canada\u2019s Baffin Island lost its snow cover quickly and early in summer 2026, revealing\u2026<\/p>\n<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>Article<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nPasterze Hangs on as Austria\u2019s Largest Glacier<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 4 min read <\/div>\nOne narrowing icefall remains the linchpin for the Alpine glacier\u2014and it may not be long for this world.<\/p>\n<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>Article<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n1<\/span><\/span>\n\n2<\/span><\/a>\n\n3<\/span><\/a>\n\n4<\/span><\/a>\nNext<\/a>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nKeep Exploring<\/div>\nDiscover More from NASA Earth Science<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/circle><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\nSubscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEarth Observatory Image of the Day<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/circle><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\nNASA\u2019s Earth Observatory brings you the Earth, every day, with in-depth stories and stunning imagery.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
The new map reveals an expansive network of valleys carved into the surface beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet. Many of the features formed well before most of the ice above them existed, offering new context for the island\u2019s geologic history\u2014and potentially helping scientists refine projections of the ice sheet\u2019s future. Scientists described the newly mapped valleys in a NASA-led paper published in Geophysical Research Letters<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\nThe map, shown above, was derived from a method called Ice Flow Perturbation Analysis. As ice flows over a valley or ridge, the topography leaves a faint signature on the ice surface. Satellites map the ice surface in fine detail, and scientists can use these subtle bumps and dips to infer the shape of the landscape buried below. The work aims to improve future versions of BedMachine Greenland<\/a>, a high-resolution dataset of the terrain beneath the ice sheet.<\/p>\nUsing the technique, researchers manually mapped 1,943 subglacial valleys beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet, about a third of which are newly identified. About half of the valleys included in BedMachine Greenland, primarily near the ice sheet\u2019s edge, are now known to extend farther inland than that map indicates, in some cases by hundreds of kilometers.<\/p>\nSome aspects of the new map align with the current understanding of how Greenland\u2019s landscapes formed. For instance, many of the valleys appear to begin in the southern and eastern highlands, where the ice sheet is thought to have first formed. Near the eastern highlands, the map reveals a mountain range beneath the ice, with interconnected valleys and relief that increases toward the coast. These alpine-style landforms may have survived under the ice since at least the Pliocene.<\/p>\nOther aspects of the topography are more puzzling. The analysis indicates numerous valleys, especially in the west-central region, that are long, straight, and consistently aligned in a southwest-northeast direction. This orientation suggests a tectonic influence, generating preferential pathways along which water could flow and valleys could form. \u201cThat\u2019s a riddle to us,\u201d said Joe MacGregor, a NASA cryospheric scientist and co-author of the study. \u201cGreenland is justifiably usually treated as a rigid block of old rock that is simply translated as needed to accommodate the motion and interactions of other tectonic plates.\u201d<\/p>\nSeparately, the angles at which the valleys branch offer another insight into their origin. Their relatively wide branching angles suggest that surface water didn\u2019t act alone; instead, a widespread groundwater network\u2014seeping upward and eroding the surrounding rock\u2014likely helped carve the valleys before the ice sheet formed.<\/p>\nMapping these valleys matters for understanding the ice sheet, which has continued to dramatically reshape the landscape. Ice flow concentrates in valleys, where it forms glaciers that eventually calve into fjords at the periphery of the ice sheet. This creates a reinforcing cycle: ice funneling through a valley gets thicker, thicker ice flows faster, and faster flow carves the valley even deeper.<\/p>\nThis carving power is especially evident along western Greenland. MacGregor likened it to the glacially incised landscape at Yosemite, with Greenland\u2019s western coast resembling, as he put it, \u201cEl Capitan after El Capitan.\u201d<\/p>\nStudying the valleys also matters for the ice sheet\u2019s future. Because the relationship between ice flow and valleys is well understood, scientists expect that as the ice sheet retreats, flow will continue to concentrate wherever the valleys already are. \u201cThe better we understand the topography now,\u201d MacGregor said, \u201cthe better sense we\u2019ll have of what it will look like in the longer term\u2014beyond the next decade or two\u2014as faster ice flow propagates into Greenland\u2019s interior.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\nNASA Earth Observatory map by Lauren Dauphin using data from Chartrand et al<\/a>. Story by Kathryn Hansen.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\tDownloads\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nBedrock Map<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (11.10 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/circle><\/path><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nReferences & Resources<\/h2>\n\nChartrand, A. M., et al<\/em>. (2026) A Vast Valley Network Beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet<\/a>. Geophysical Research Letters<\/em>, 53 (13), e2026GL122028.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\nYou may also be interested in:<\/h2>\nStay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nAn Uncommon Drifter in the Denmark Strait<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 4 min read <\/div>\nA large iceberg, observed in summer 2026, had drifted more than 1,000 kilometers south from the northeastern Greenland bay where\u2026<\/p>\n<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>Article<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nA Bare Summer for Barnes Ice Cap<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 4 min read <\/div>\nThe expanse of glacial ice on Canada\u2019s Baffin Island lost its snow cover quickly and early in summer 2026, revealing\u2026<\/p>\n<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>Article<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nPasterze Hangs on as Austria\u2019s Largest Glacier<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 4 min read <\/div>\nOne narrowing icefall remains the linchpin for the Alpine glacier\u2014and it may not be long for this world.<\/p>\n<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>Article<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n1<\/span><\/span>\n\n2<\/span><\/a>\n\n3<\/span><\/a>\n\n4<\/span><\/a>\nNext<\/a>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nKeep Exploring<\/div>\nDiscover More from NASA Earth Science<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/circle><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\nSubscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEarth Observatory Image of the Day<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/circle><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\nNASA\u2019s Earth Observatory brings you the Earth, every day, with in-depth stories and stunning imagery.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
The map, shown above, was derived from a method called Ice Flow Perturbation Analysis. As ice flows over a valley or ridge, the topography leaves a faint signature on the ice surface. Satellites map the ice surface in fine detail, and scientists can use these subtle bumps and dips to infer the shape of the landscape buried below. The work aims to improve future versions of BedMachine Greenland<\/a>, a high-resolution dataset of the terrain beneath the ice sheet.<\/p>\nUsing the technique, researchers manually mapped 1,943 subglacial valleys beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet, about a third of which are newly identified. About half of the valleys included in BedMachine Greenland, primarily near the ice sheet\u2019s edge, are now known to extend farther inland than that map indicates, in some cases by hundreds of kilometers.<\/p>\nSome aspects of the new map align with the current understanding of how Greenland\u2019s landscapes formed. For instance, many of the valleys appear to begin in the southern and eastern highlands, where the ice sheet is thought to have first formed. Near the eastern highlands, the map reveals a mountain range beneath the ice, with interconnected valleys and relief that increases toward the coast. These alpine-style landforms may have survived under the ice since at least the Pliocene.<\/p>\nOther aspects of the topography are more puzzling. The analysis indicates numerous valleys, especially in the west-central region, that are long, straight, and consistently aligned in a southwest-northeast direction. This orientation suggests a tectonic influence, generating preferential pathways along which water could flow and valleys could form. \u201cThat\u2019s a riddle to us,\u201d said Joe MacGregor, a NASA cryospheric scientist and co-author of the study. \u201cGreenland is justifiably usually treated as a rigid block of old rock that is simply translated as needed to accommodate the motion and interactions of other tectonic plates.\u201d<\/p>\nSeparately, the angles at which the valleys branch offer another insight into their origin. Their relatively wide branching angles suggest that surface water didn\u2019t act alone; instead, a widespread groundwater network\u2014seeping upward and eroding the surrounding rock\u2014likely helped carve the valleys before the ice sheet formed.<\/p>\nMapping these valleys matters for understanding the ice sheet, which has continued to dramatically reshape the landscape. Ice flow concentrates in valleys, where it forms glaciers that eventually calve into fjords at the periphery of the ice sheet. This creates a reinforcing cycle: ice funneling through a valley gets thicker, thicker ice flows faster, and faster flow carves the valley even deeper.<\/p>\nThis carving power is especially evident along western Greenland. MacGregor likened it to the glacially incised landscape at Yosemite, with Greenland\u2019s western coast resembling, as he put it, \u201cEl Capitan after El Capitan.\u201d<\/p>\nStudying the valleys also matters for the ice sheet\u2019s future. Because the relationship between ice flow and valleys is well understood, scientists expect that as the ice sheet retreats, flow will continue to concentrate wherever the valleys already are. \u201cThe better we understand the topography now,\u201d MacGregor said, \u201cthe better sense we\u2019ll have of what it will look like in the longer term\u2014beyond the next decade or two\u2014as faster ice flow propagates into Greenland\u2019s interior.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\nNASA Earth Observatory map by Lauren Dauphin using data from Chartrand et al<\/a>. Story by Kathryn Hansen.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\tDownloads\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nBedrock Map<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (11.10 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/circle><\/path><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nReferences & Resources<\/h2>\n\nChartrand, A. M., et al<\/em>. (2026) A Vast Valley Network Beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet<\/a>. Geophysical Research Letters<\/em>, 53 (13), e2026GL122028.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\nYou may also be interested in:<\/h2>\nStay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nAn Uncommon Drifter in the Denmark Strait<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 4 min read <\/div>\nA large iceberg, observed in summer 2026, had drifted more than 1,000 kilometers south from the northeastern Greenland bay where\u2026<\/p>\n<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>Article<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nA Bare Summer for Barnes Ice Cap<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 4 min read <\/div>\nThe expanse of glacial ice on Canada\u2019s Baffin Island lost its snow cover quickly and early in summer 2026, revealing\u2026<\/p>\n<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>Article<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nPasterze Hangs on as Austria\u2019s Largest Glacier<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 4 min read <\/div>\nOne narrowing icefall remains the linchpin for the Alpine glacier\u2014and it may not be long for this world.<\/p>\n<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>Article<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n1<\/span><\/span>\n\n2<\/span><\/a>\n\n3<\/span><\/a>\n\n4<\/span><\/a>\nNext<\/a>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nKeep Exploring<\/div>\nDiscover More from NASA Earth Science<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/circle><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\nSubscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEarth Observatory Image of the Day<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/circle><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\nNASA\u2019s Earth Observatory brings you the Earth, every day, with in-depth stories and stunning imagery.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Using the technique, researchers manually mapped 1,943 subglacial valleys beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet, about a third of which are newly identified. About half of the valleys included in BedMachine Greenland, primarily near the ice sheet\u2019s edge, are now known to extend farther inland than that map indicates, in some cases by hundreds of kilometers.<\/p>\n
Some aspects of the new map align with the current understanding of how Greenland\u2019s landscapes formed. For instance, many of the valleys appear to begin in the southern and eastern highlands, where the ice sheet is thought to have first formed. Near the eastern highlands, the map reveals a mountain range beneath the ice, with interconnected valleys and relief that increases toward the coast. These alpine-style landforms may have survived under the ice since at least the Pliocene.<\/p>\n
Other aspects of the topography are more puzzling. The analysis indicates numerous valleys, especially in the west-central region, that are long, straight, and consistently aligned in a southwest-northeast direction. This orientation suggests a tectonic influence, generating preferential pathways along which water could flow and valleys could form. \u201cThat\u2019s a riddle to us,\u201d said Joe MacGregor, a NASA cryospheric scientist and co-author of the study. \u201cGreenland is justifiably usually treated as a rigid block of old rock that is simply translated as needed to accommodate the motion and interactions of other tectonic plates.\u201d<\/p>\n
Separately, the angles at which the valleys branch offer another insight into their origin. Their relatively wide branching angles suggest that surface water didn\u2019t act alone; instead, a widespread groundwater network\u2014seeping upward and eroding the surrounding rock\u2014likely helped carve the valleys before the ice sheet formed.<\/p>\n
Mapping these valleys matters for understanding the ice sheet, which has continued to dramatically reshape the landscape. Ice flow concentrates in valleys, where it forms glaciers that eventually calve into fjords at the periphery of the ice sheet. This creates a reinforcing cycle: ice funneling through a valley gets thicker, thicker ice flows faster, and faster flow carves the valley even deeper.<\/p>\n
This carving power is especially evident along western Greenland. MacGregor likened it to the glacially incised landscape at Yosemite, with Greenland\u2019s western coast resembling, as he put it, \u201cEl Capitan after El Capitan.\u201d<\/p>\n
Studying the valleys also matters for the ice sheet\u2019s future. Because the relationship between ice flow and valleys is well understood, scientists expect that as the ice sheet retreats, flow will continue to concentrate wherever the valleys already are. \u201cThe better we understand the topography now,\u201d MacGregor said, \u201cthe better sense we\u2019ll have of what it will look like in the longer term\u2014beyond the next decade or two\u2014as faster ice flow propagates into Greenland\u2019s interior.\u201d<\/p>\n
NASA Earth Observatory map by Lauren Dauphin using data from Chartrand et al<\/a>. Story by Kathryn Hansen.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\tDownloads\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nBedrock Map<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\nJPEG (11.10 MB)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/circle><\/path><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nReferences & Resources<\/h2>\n\nChartrand, A. M., et al<\/em>. (2026) A Vast Valley Network Beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet<\/a>. Geophysical Research Letters<\/em>, 53 (13), e2026GL122028.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\nYou may also be interested in:<\/h2>\nStay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nAn Uncommon Drifter in the Denmark Strait<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 4 min read <\/div>\nA large iceberg, observed in summer 2026, had drifted more than 1,000 kilometers south from the northeastern Greenland bay where\u2026<\/p>\n<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>Article<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nA Bare Summer for Barnes Ice Cap<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 4 min read <\/div>\nThe expanse of glacial ice on Canada\u2019s Baffin Island lost its snow cover quickly and early in summer 2026, revealing\u2026<\/p>\n<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>Article<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\nPasterze Hangs on as Austria\u2019s Largest Glacier<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n 4 min read <\/div>\nOne narrowing icefall remains the linchpin for the Alpine glacier\u2014and it may not be long for this world.<\/p>\n<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>Article<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n1<\/span><\/span>\n\n2<\/span><\/a>\n\n3<\/span><\/a>\n\n4<\/span><\/a>\nNext<\/a>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nKeep Exploring<\/div>\nDiscover More from NASA Earth Science<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/circle><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\nSubscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEarth Observatory Image of the Day<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/circle><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\nNASA\u2019s Earth Observatory brings you the Earth, every day, with in-depth stories and stunning imagery.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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A large iceberg, observed in summer 2026, had drifted more than 1,000 kilometers south from the northeastern Greenland bay where\u2026<\/p>\n
The expanse of glacial ice on Canada\u2019s Baffin Island lost its snow cover quickly and early in summer 2026, revealing\u2026<\/p>\n
One narrowing icefall remains the linchpin for the Alpine glacier\u2014and it may not be long for this world.<\/p>\n
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NASA\u2019s Earth Observatory brings you the Earth, every day, with in-depth stories and stunning imagery.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n