Tags: NASA, Earth Observation, Antarctica, ICESat
Publication: RedOrbit.com
Publication Date: 10/24/2012

Artist’s impression of ICESat’s orbit. Image credit: NASA

A new study from NASA scientists has concluded that the alarming decrease in the size of the Arctic ice cap is being accompanied by a record expansion of sea ice in Antarctica.

The study indicates that in the 32 years from 1978 to 2010, the continent grew by 211,200 miles, and the yearly growth rate has increased in the latest years of the study. Unfortunately, this growth rate is not nearly as large as the decrease of the Arctic surface, according to the scientists.

This new study has been the first to use laser altimetry from the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat). This means that the spacecraft could become an extremely useful tool for future research of the Antarctic region, which is hard to explore from the Earth.

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