Snow-covered mountains, photographed this spring from aboard NASA's P-3B aircraft en route to Fairbanks, Alaska.  Snow-covered mountains, photographed this spring from aboard NASA's P-3B aircraft en route to Fairbanks, Alaska.  Saunders Island and Wolstenholme Fiord, with Kap Atholl in the background, photographed during a survey flight near Qaasuitsup, Greenland.  Saunders Island and Wolstenholme Fiord, with Kap Atholl in the background, photographed during a survey flight near Qaasuitsup, Greenland.  An ice-covered fiord on Canada's Baffin Island, with Davis Strait in the background.  An ice-covered fiord on Canada's Baffin Island, with Davis Strait in the background.  This view of ice flowing around a ridge of bedrock shows ice's plasticity. Ice builds up from years of accumulated snowfall and flows under its own weight from Greenland's interior toward the ocean.  This view of ice flowing around a ridge of bedrock shows ice's plasticity. Ice builds up from years of accumulated snowfall and flows under its own weight from Greenland's interior toward the ocean.  The shadow of NASA's P-3B on frozen seawater near Greenland. Flying at a low altitude allows researchers to gather detailed data on changing ice.  The shadow of NASA's P-3B on frozen seawater near Greenland. Flying at a low altitude allows researchers to gather detailed data on changing ice.  Icebergs, seen here locked in place by frozen seawater, routinely break off Greenland's Jakobshavn Glacier, which produces around 10% of all Greenland icebergs and drains 6.5% of the Greenland ice sheet. Jakobshavn Glacier is one of the fastest-moving ice streams in the world.  Icebergs, seen here locked in place by frozen seawater, routinely break off Greenland's Jakobshavn Glacier, which produces around 10% of all Greenland icebergs and drains 6.5% of the Greenland ice sheet. Jakobshavn Glacier is one of the fastest-moving ice streams in the world.  Horseshoe-shaped 'lateral moraines'—which are mounds of rocks, gravel, sand or clay that are carried and deposited directly along a glacier's side—at the Penny Ice Cap on Baffin Island.  Horseshoe-shaped 'lateral moraines'—which are mounds of rocks, gravel, sand or clay that are carried and deposited directly along a glacier's side—at the Penny Ice Cap on Baffin Island.  A 'terminal' moraine—rocks, gravel, sand or clay deposited at a glacier's lower end—on Baffin Island.  A 'terminal' moraine—rocks, gravel, sand or clay deposited at a glacier's lower end—on Baffin Island.  Wordie Glacier—a land-terminating glacier that isn't in contact with water in a fiord—with a small, terminal moraine in northeast Greenland.  Wordie Glacier—a land-terminating glacier that isn't in contact with water in a fiord—with a small, terminal moraine in northeast Greenland.  The Penny Ice Cap outlet glacier on Baffin Island.  The Penny Ice Cap outlet glacier on Baffin Island.  A view of one of the Petermann Glacier valley walls in northern Greenland.  A view of one of the Petermann Glacier valley walls in northern Greenland.  Geikie Plateau Glacier and mountain peaks in eastern Greenland. The distinctive layering in Geikie Plateau's mountains come from repeated flooding of basalt lava from the North Atlantic's mid-ocean ridge millions of years ago.  Geikie Plateau Glacier and mountain peaks in eastern Greenland. The distinctive layering in Geikie Plateau's mountains come from repeated flooding of basalt lava from the North Atlantic's mid-ocean ridge millions of years ago.
NASA's Operation IceBridge flights for spring 2013, between March and May, captured aerial views of Arctic and Antarctic ice sheets, shelves and more.