Due to increasing global temperatures, the West Antarctic Ice Sheet's mass has been receding into the Southern Ocean in the form of fresh water. Now, a new report from UPI has unveiled that significant amount of heat is also being applied to the ice from below due to geothermal activity.

The researchers with the help of deep probe studied the condition. They took measurements of the flow of heat in the sediments under the ice sheet. After going through the measurements, they came to know that the amount of heat flowing upward to the crust was more than expected.

Professor Andrew Fisher of the University of Santa Cruz said geothermal activity is not much responsible for the massive loss being suffered by the ice sheet. But the activity could explain as to why the top ice sheet is so unstable.

The researchers said the geothermal heat flux was at 285 milliwatts per square meter. The findings could prove beneficial when it comes to evaluation of the risks thrown by the increasing sea levels.

"The ice sheet developed and evolved with the geothermal heat flux coming up from below--it's part of the system. But this could help explain why the ice sheet is so unstable", said Fisher.

It is the first time that geothermal heat flux measurement has been made below the West Antarctic ice sheet. Therefore, the researchers do not have an exact idea as to how localized these warm geothermal conditions would be.