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Surprise Glacier
EPOD 2007-09-20
Glaciers are abundant in South-central Alaska's Prince William Sound. One showcase glacier is Surprise Glacier, whose bluish ice formations are seen in the picture. Is glacier ice really blue? No, it just appears to be blue: While the red part of white light is absorbed by the ice, the blue light is transmitted and scattered. The longer the light travels in ice, the more blue it appears. In contrast to ice, light does not penetrate far into snow, thus snow appears white.
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