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164 comments on DrumBeat: March 7, 2007

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OilLearner on March 7, 2007 - 1:50pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

The East Antarctic Ice Sheet is about the size of the continental USA. According to this the Recovery Glacier ice stream drains about 8% of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. The 35 billion tons of ice is thus equivalent to 50 mm of water per year (4mm x 12.5) in the drainage area.

This article indicates that average annual snowfall in the central area of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet is about 50 mm per year, water equivalent.

Poor wording could indeed allow readers to believe the area drained, rather than the entire ice sheet, is as large as the continental USA.

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dipchip on March 7, 2007 - 4:09pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Thanks for the link: I shall say it again that's what laziness gets you. I had the data right beside me. Antarctica, the entire continent is 5.4 million sq. miles.
4mm was based on 3 million sq miles. Should have been about 240 thousand. Need to read slower.

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164 comments on DrumBeat: March 7, 2007

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