New Map to Help Calculate Antarctic Ice Loss The newly mapped
grounding line (blue) – where ice separates from land -- is more
accurate than a previously mapped line (green) thanks to high-
resolution satellite imagery. High-resolution satellite images
and newly developed computer software have enabled NASA
researchers to create the most accurate map to date of the
snaking line that marks the edge of the ice sheet covering much
of Antarctica. This is crucial for determining the rate at which
the continent is losing ice. Antarctica's ice sheet is the
world's largest, and holds more than 60 percent of the Earth's
freshwater supply. Data had already revealed the continent was
losing ice — a potentially dangerous trend by almost any
calculation since ice loss in Antarctica could lead to a
dramatic rise in sea levels. However, the question remained: How
much ice was disappearing, and how fast? Antarctica's ice
generally flows from the middle of the continent toward the
edges, dipping toward the sea before lifting b