Satellite images show changing world

The first pictures from Europe’s new Earth observation satellite, Envisat, show how ancient coastlines are undergoing rapid change.

The picture of the Larsen B ice shelf, which collapsed last month, shows the 3,250 square kilometre chunk has broken into thousands of small icebergs and is now drifting away from Antarctica.

The satellite captured the collapse of the 200-metre thick ice shelf, providing dramatic evidence of the impact of global warming in the Antarctic Peninsula region.

Envisat, the biggest and most expensive satellite put into orbit by Europe, was launched in February. Described by Britain’s Independent news service as Europe’s “green eye,” it’s equipped with 10 instruments that will conduct scientific measurements of the sea, land, atmosphere and ice caps for the next five years.