Glacial rivers in "the land of fire and ice"—Iceland—have shaped the landscape over thousands of years. The rivers seen in today"s image are formed from the meltwater of vast glaciers like Vatnajökull, Langjökull and Hofsjökull. Vatnajökull, the largest ice cap in Iceland, covers over 770,000 hectares—approximately 10% of the country"s landmass. As the glaciers melt, the water carries fine sediments, creating a braided river system with a milky appearance that contrasts with the earthy tones of the volcanic terrain. Every spring and summer, the rivers swell with seasonal meltwater, continually shaping and reshaping the land.
Glacial rivers, Iceland
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
-
Bora Bora in French Polynesia
-
Moritzburg Castle, Saxony, Germany
-
Great Wall of China
-
Ochagavía, Navarre, Spain
-
Red deer, Canada
-
Steller sea lions
-
Crescent-tail bigeye fish, Great Barrier Reef, Australia
-
Fireworks over Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Canada
-
Haghartsin Monastery, Armenia
-
Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica
-
Harbour seals
-
Turkey tail mushroom
-
Bowling Ball Beach, California, USA
-
Gentoo penguins, Antarctica
-
Reindeer running in snow
-
Lakes of Covadonga, Asturias, Spain
-
Silvereyes, South Korea
-
Cuban tody, Alejandro de Humboldt National Park, Cuba
-
Methoni Castle, Messinia, Greece
-
Coyote Gulch, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah, USA
-
Amber Fort, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
-
Olive orchard in the Serra de Tramuntana, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
-
Badlands National Park, South Dakota, United States
-
Schwerin Castle on Lake Schwerin, Germany
-
Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Islands, Australia
-
Gaztelugatxe islet at sunset, Basque Country, Spain
-
Whale shark
-
Asian swallowtail butterfly
-
Gentoo penguin, Petermann Island, Antarctica
-
Gdańsk, Poland
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

