Stunning Images of Antarctica

Photo/Santiago Vanegas

A new study reveals that scientists’ previously held beliefs about snow in Antarctica have been wrong for many years. Looking at the effect of wind on snow in the region, researchers found that strong winds are not simply redistributing snow on the continent, but removing it all together.

Live Science reports that due to high winds, and the result could be a significant contribution to rising global sea levels. Indrani Das, an associate research scientist at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory told Live Science that current climate models were overestimating the amount of snow accumulating in some parts of the continent by seven percent.

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Published October 12 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, the findings set a new precedent for how scientists model the loss of mass on the icy continent. According to Space Daily, .

Snowy peak, Half Moon Bay, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

(DeAgostini/Getty Images)

While snow had accumulated at an expected rate in some areas, others were missing large layers indicating that the models weren’t correct.

and has an unparalleled influence on world sea level.

"What we're seeing is that East Antarctica - already among the driest regions on earth - is a bit drier than we thought, glaciologist Ted Scambos told Space Daily. "It's more likely that it is losing ice, and adding to sea level."

Researchers will continue to study the removal of snow in Antarctica using updated information and hope to release a new update to their model sometime next year.

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