9/2/13

Mike Del Priore

THE ANTARCTIC ICE SHEET

Did you know that the largest single mass of ice on the planet is the one you see above. The Antarctic Ice Sheet is about 14 million square kilometers (holds 30 million cubic km of ice!). Almost all of the fresh water on the Earth's surface is contained here (90%). 

The picture shown above is the western portion of the ice mass. It extends 2500 m below sea level! However, in the eastern portion, it lays on a land mass. 

If the ice mass was not here, the land would be entirely submerged in the ocean floor. The ice keeps gathering because of all the snowfall it gets; therefore, it grows in the winter but loses ice in the summertime.

According to BBC News, "Scientists found that glaciers on the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) advance and retreat in synch with changes in temperature." 
Scientists fear that the sea levels in West Antarctic are receding which will cause the sheet to lose ice and eventually be submerged if it keeps receding.

Website:  http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/a/antarctic_ice_sheet.htm

BBC News:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23868841

Picture:  http://www.iceagenow.com/West_Antarctic_ice_sheet.jpg