THE NEXT ICE AGE - NOW!

Antarctica's Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf is growing
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7 Dec 05 – Measuring ice stream catchments feeding the Filchner-Ronne
Ice Shelf, scientists Joughin and Bamber re-evaluated the mass balances of
the ice in Antarctica.

Instead of the 3.6 ± 9.1 gigaton/yr net thinning estimate of Rignot and Thomas,
Joughin and Bamber found a net thickening of 39 ± 26 Gton/yr (= 1.6 ± 1 cm/yr),
equivalent to a sea-level reduction of 0.11 ± 0.07 mm/yr. 

They state that their mass balance estimates are likely representative of trends that have been occurring over "at least" the last several decades, "and that they may yet be significantly influenced by a continuing response to the approximately 50% accumulation increase that began in the early Holocene.”

"It is clear from the results of this study that the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf is not rapidly,
or even slowly, wasting away.  Quite to the contrary, it is growing."

Joughin, I. and Bamber, J.L.  2005.  Thickening of the ice stream catchments feeding
the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf, Antarctica.  Geophysical Research Letters 32: L17503,
doi:10.1029/2005FL023844.
http://www.co2science.org/articles/V8/N49/C2.php