Ash rising from the Grímsvötn volcano, 7th of November 2004. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Ash plume from the Grímsvötn volcano, November 2004. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Deep low pressure area off Iceland, September 2003. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Dust storm in southern Iceland, 28th of January 2003. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Duststorm coming off Iceland, October 2004. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Iceland in January 2004. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Iceland and East Greenland, March 2002. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Iceland in the afternoon of 9th of September 2002. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Iceland in the early morning of the 9th of September 2002. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Iceland on the 31st of October 2003. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Phytoplankton blooms off Iceland, August 2004. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Retreating Vatnajökull outlet glaciers. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Skeiðarárjökull outlet glacier, 4th of August 1999. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

The Western Fjords of Iceland, 6th of June 2000. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Iceland in May 2003. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Svalbard on the 7th of June 2001. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC.

Svalbard on the 22nd of June 2002. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC.

Svalbard on the 27th of August 2003. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC.

Central West Greenland, Disko Island, 22nd of June 2004. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Central East Greenland, 7th of August 2002. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Davies Strait, 28th of October 2002. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

East Greenland, Scoresby Sund area, 21st of August 2004. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Ellesmare Island and Northwest Greenland, August 2003. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Southern Greenland, 7th of August 2004. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Northeast coast of Greenland, 10th of July 2004. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Northern Greenland, 26th of July 2004. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Novaya Zemlya and the Kara Sea, 15th of April 2004. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Novaya Zemlya, 29th of July 2004. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Severnaya Zemlya, 6th of July 2001. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

The Putorana Plateau, Western Siberia, 25th of September 2003. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Wrangel Island off East Siberia, 5th of June 2001. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Yamal Peninsula and the Kara Sea, 20th of June 2002. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

River Ob and Yamal Peninsula, Western Siberia, 19th of June 2004. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Antarctic Peninsula, 17th of February 2002. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC.

Antarctic Peninsula and the Weddell Sea, 13th of November 2001. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC.

Antarctic Peninsula, 6th of September 2002. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC.

Icebergs in the Ross Sea, off the Dry Valleys, Antarctica, 14th of February 2005. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC

Silt and plankton bloom off Elephant Island, Antarctica. 13th of September 2003. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC.

Total solar eclipse over Antarctica. 23rd of November 2003. Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC.