The ice in the Antarctic is melting faster and faster,

The decline in the ice mass of Antarctica has accelerated, according to a study in the last four decades. Also parts of the Antarctic, of which so far no loss of ice mass was known, are affected.

A research team led by Eric Rignot of the University of California, Irvine, has studied the development of the ice sheets in 18 regions of the Antarctic. From 1979 to 1990, 40 billion tons of ice were thus in an average year in the Antarctic melted. In the years 2009 to 2017, the annual Eisverlust amounted to 252 billion tons and thus more than six times, report the researchers in the journal "PNAS".

"more Sensitive than assumed,"

it is of Concern that in areas in East Antarctica, previously considered immune to global warming, also a lot of ice melted. "This Region is probably more sensitive to climate than traditionally assumed," the researchers write. This is important to know, because the Eastern Antarctic has more ice than West Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula.

by far most of the ice in the Antarctic in the East. If all the ice would melt, would rise the sea level by almost 52 meters. The complete melting of the abundance of ice in West Antarctica the increase was, however, at around 5.20 meters. Therefore, East Antarctica should be dedicated to the now "greater attention", according to the study.

For the study, had used the scientists so far the longest studies on the Antarctic ice. They are based on high-resolution aerial images of the Nasa, as well as satellite data from several other space agencies. (nlu/sda)

Created: 15.01.2019, 12:05 PM