Mirage


When there is no wind, the air near the ground over the pack ice can be much denser than the air just above the ground. The density change acts as a reflector for light, so objects over the horizon can be seen by their reflection. This photograph from Ice Station Weddell, in the western Weddell Sea in 1992, shows what looks like a city skyline, made up of the mirages of many icebergs a long way from the camp. Multiple reflections make the icebergs appear layered, and sometimes they will even "float" above the horizon.
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