On March 13, 2023, the Operational Land Imager-2 (OLI-2) on Landsat 9 captured natural-color images of the Tunulliarfik Fjord in southern Greenland, revealing unusual straight lines across the frozen surface. These paths are believed to have been created by humans, likely using snowmobiles for hunting or travel between the towns of Narsarsuaq and Qassiarsuk. Unlike many regions, Greenland’s vast ice sheet obscures human activity, making these tracks significant. The fjord’s waters were ice-covered at the time, with the observed tracks measuring about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) and stretching at least 20 kilometers (12 miles) long, indicating considerable use of the area. Nathan Kurtz and his colleagues from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center analyzed the images and noted that while some patterns were likely from natural ice deformation, many of the tracks signified human involvement. As warmer weather approaches, the snow and ice are expected to melt, revealing a greener landscape; this area is part of the Kujataa World Heritage Site, recognized for its historical farming practices. The images provide a rare glimpse of human interaction with Greenland’s icy environment.
