EXPERIMENTS IN LAYERING COLOR AND ABRUPTIVE PAINTING

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This generative animation transforms nearly two decades of **Greenland GRACE satellite data** (2002–2023) into a flowing, wave-like visualization. The **GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment)** and **GRACE-FO** missions measure changes in Earth’s gravity field, which reflect variations in mass—such as the gain or loss of ice over time.

In this video, each year’s ice mass anomaly data for Greenland is represented by a unique **sinusoidal wave** drawn across the screen.

* The **amplitude** of each wave corresponds to the year’s range of ice mass loss—greater variability results in taller waves.

* The **frequency** of the wave is proportional to how severe the year’s average ice loss was compared to others, creating a visual rhythm based on climate impact.

* The **thickness** and **transparency** of the waves evolve dynamically, fading as new years are introduced, creating a temporal layering effect.

* **Amplitude** reflects the range of ice mass anomalies for the year—larger vertical movement means greater seasonal or total variation.

* **Frequency** is ranked by severity: years with greater average ice loss produce faster, denser oscillations.

* **Baseline** positions are vertically mapped to ice mass levels, creating a clear stratification between more and less stable years.

* **Line thickness** fades over time to emphasize temporal flow, with newer years glowing into view before gradually dimming.

All waves animate smoothly from left to right across a dark, moody background, creating a visual archive of Greenland's accelerating loss of ice. The piece functions both as a **climate data visualization** and an **ambient, meditative artwork**, inviting viewers to reflect on the irreversible changes unfolding in the Arctic.