The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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Iceberg calving, resulting in loss of contact with pinning points, causes a reduction in ice-shelf buttressing. As a consequence, ice velocities and the rate of horizontal spreading around the grounding line increases. With time this can lead to ice-shelf thinning and grounding-line retreat. Melt ponds form on the ice-shelf surface in response to warm air temperatures, and warm ocean water melts the ice shelf at its base.