Antarctic crevasses

To mark the first anniversary of the European Space Agency’s Biomass satellite, we present a selection of striking images captured over the past 12 months, revealing Earth’s forests, and much more, in new detail. In just one year, this pioneering mission has begun transforming our understanding of forest dynamics and advancing how scientists monitor the critical role forests play in regulating the global carbon cycle. 

While Biomass’ main focus is forest and carbon, its P-band radar can also penetrate ice. This image, captured over Antarctica on 10 November 2025, shows Western Palmer Land on the Antarctic Peninsula, where the Grace Ice Stream flows towards the sea. The thin, feather-like lines on the ice surface are crevasses – deep cracks formed by the immense internal stress and friction as the glacier moves over uneven bedrock or accelerates towards the coast. These features reveal the dynamic forces shaping the ice as it flows seaward.

Read full story: Stunning images from Biomass mark its one year in orbit