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:
-
Red kite in snow
-
Kochia, Hitachi, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
-
Ribadesella, Asturias, Spain
-
Elbe river in Dresden, Saxony, Germany
-
Ore Mountains, Saxony, Germany
-
Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho, USA
-
Aspen trees, Fishlake National Forest, Utah, United States
-
Horse Head Rock, New South Wales, Australia
-
Jellyfish, Guerrero, Mexico
-
Tufted titmouse
-
The Wave, Vejle, Denmark
-
American bison in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
-
Pegadung Rock, Lampung, Sumatra, Indonesia
-
Dragons Eye, Uttakleiv Beach, Norway
-
Mount Hamilton, San Francisco Bay Area, California, United States
-
Grasmere, Lake District, Cumbria, England
-
Town Hall Square, Tartu, Estonia
-
Polar bear cub, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, United States
-
Daffodils
-
Chestnut-headed bee-eaters
-
Red fox
-
Camels in the desert, United Arab Emirates
-
Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence
-
Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
-
Banff, Alberta, Canada
-
Phra Nakhon Khiri, Thailand
-
Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve, Australia
-
Manarola, Cinque Terre National Park, Liguria, Italy
-
Jaswant Thada and Mehrangarh Fort, India
-
Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bavaria, Germany
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

