E Antarctica more exposed to warming than thought

Paris

EAST ANTARCTICA'S massive ice sheet may be more vulnerable to global warming than long assumed, according to a study on Monday that shows how strong winds can erode ice shelves that help hold it in place.

There is enough frozen water sitting on top of the world's polar continent to raise sea levels by dozens of metres and redraw the world map if it melts. But understanding the dynamics of the region - which includes the much smaller West Antarctica ice sheet - has proven difficult. Up till now, scientists have focused on the threat of West Antarctica.