Mulberry Times: Blue Icebergs

Monday, June 8, 2015

Blue Icebergs

When Tony Travouillon, a scientist, visited a French research station in Antarctica, he discovered what appeared to be giant waves that had frozen as soon as they hit the air. However, he had seen blue icebergs.

Frozen towers: This blue ice is created because ice bubbles are compressed and light at the red end of the spectrum is absorbed

Hard work: Mr Travouillon travelled to the Antarctic while studying for his PhD from the Australian university of New South Wales, between 2001-2004

Blue ice is formed through melting and refreezing, which compresses the air bubbles in the iceberg. When the air bubbles are compressed, red light is absorbed and blue light is bounced off. If the bubbles aren't compressed the iceberg would be white because the bubbles would scatter the light. Some of the photographed icebergs flipped over due to melting ice, so the blue color is very vivid.