Origin of Antarctic ice revealed

"You need a mean annual temperature of about 3C for the glaciers to form the way they did," Dr Siegert told BBC News. "The mean annual temperature in this region now is -60 C. So we believe that these mountains are relics of [glacial erosion] in Antarctica before the ice sheet was in place." He added that the findings provided an insight into the stability of the ice. Antarctica's landscape was mountainous before the ice formed "It is a critical part of our Earth's system," said Dr Ferraccioli. "If the whole ice sheet collapsed, sea levels would rise by 60m. Amazing! I would love to see that r... [More]