Snow could offset global warming in Antarctica
Increased snowfall in Antarctica could offset the future impact of global warming on the continent, according to research carried out by a French team comprising researchers from the Laboratoire de Glaciologie et Géophysique de l'Environnement and the Takuvik International Joint Unit. The research reveals the existence of a hitherto underestimated negative feedback mechanism acting on temperatures. Using satellite images and numerical modeling, the researchers showed that rising temperatures in Antarctica will lead to increased precipitation and, therefore, to a 'whiter' snow that will reduce the impact of climate change at the heart of the continent. The study, published in the 1 July 2012 issue of the journal Nature Climate Change, should help to take better account of snow in models used to predict global climate change.