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For some context (which media rarely provide), Antarctica has about 12.3 million cubic km of ice sheet. The latest measurements I've seen show that between 2011

by jstalin 12y ago

For some context (which media rarely provide), Antarctica has about 12.3 million cubic km of ice sheet. The latest measurements I've seen show that between 2011 and 2014, the Antarctic ice sheet lost 125 cubic km per year. http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-21692423 http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-21692423 http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2014/08/Antarctic_ice-sheet_change http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2014/08/Antarctic_ic... Additionally, people have been noticing a loss of ice since at least 1932: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/23150667 http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/23150667

guelo 12y ago
That didn't provide me any context at all. What are those numbers supposed to imply?
jstalin 12y ago
First, Antarctica is not "melting," and second it seems to have been happening for a long time. Additionally, there has been no acceleration in sea level increases: http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/sltrends/sltrends_station.shtml?stnid=8518750 http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/sltrends/sltrends_station.s... Browse stations here: http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/sltrends/mslUSTrendsTable.htm http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/sltrends/mslUSTrendsTable.h...